The Engima
by Dizzy3
Summary: When Alec stumbles upon yet another X-5 he is forced by Max to take the girl in. If only they knew just how much trouble the girl will cause for both of them. M/A EVENTUALLY. Very long.
1. The Enigma: A Welcome Burden

Title: The Enigma Author: Dizzy E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org Status: VERY Incomplete Category: Romance/Action Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda Season: 2 Rating: R right now Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence Summary: When Alec accidentally stumbles upon another X5 he is forced to take her in. By saving her life he may be unknowingly endangering his own. And Max's. Author's Note: This is going to be a very LOONG fic. Many element comes into play. But I assure you it will be a very good fic. Scouts honor. Feedback NEEDED. Pairing: Max/Alec of course! Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
  
Part One  
Alec swung open the door of his convertable, smiling into the night. It was crisp and cool, utterly perfect. His companion swung out the other side, with less grace but equal intention. Alec ran a confident hand through his blonde hair, smirking.   
"You sure about this man?" Sketchy eyed the building, which to his simple eye looked far to fancy and upscale to be the kind of building he imagined it to be. It wasn't the same type of place they usually frequented on what had become thier habitual Friday nights out. Alec had never imagined himself to be a "guy's guy" but he actually found himself looking forward to Friday's. Sketchy may be a moron but his fumbling attempts actually made him entertaining at times. Not to mention the man knew how to party. He was a messy drunk, which only added to his entertainment value. Alec smirked.  
"I'm positive. Don't worry about it man," he clamped him on the back. "I have something worked out." Sketchy was still nervous. Alec had told him to look nice. Had even provided him with clothes. He felt rather uncomfortable in the black rapper pants and matching sweater, and Alec had even confiscated his motheaten coat, telling him that where they were going he didn't need it. His hair had been washed, but still stuck up with no regard to gravity or symmetry, and the way he was running his hands through it it wouldn't get much better.   
At the door a burly man with arms bigger then both of Sketchy's combined, folded those same arms across his chest. Blue eyes burned into the two young men approaching them, his expression grim and forbidding. Alec simply smiled at the man, Sketchy was seconds from pissing his pants.  
"20 each," the man grunted, sizing them up, then looking to the convertable. "Make that 25." Alec's smirked widened, an eyebrow raised in amusement.  
"I don't think you understand man," he leaned in, his voice a low whisper. "We're with Mr. Ramirez." The burly mans eyes widened, and he swallowed. There was no Mr. Ramirez, but anyone who knew to use those words was certainly someone he had to let pass. He nodded.  
"Go right in, sir," his burly arms made an almost graceful sweep to the elegant double doors of the establishment and Alec smiled, slapping a 20 in the mans hand.   
"Keep it." He sauntered inside, a twitchy Sketchy at his heels, casting eyes at the bouncer.   
It was more then he had imagined. Marble columns rose from a immacuately polished floor, and ornate tapestries line the walls. It was a palace. More of a theatre then a strip club. He grinned. Now this was where it was at.   
"Come on I have reserved seating," he motioned for Sketchy to follow.   
"Reserved? You set this up man?" Alec shook his head.  
"I did the owner a favor, he owes me a few," Alec said, not belying the nature of that favor. He made his way through the tableclothed tables and red velvet upholstored chair to a table dead center, front row a black RESERVED placard in the middle. He slid himself into the chair, Sketchy plopping down on the other side.  
"Swanky," Sketchy said. Alec nodded, motioning to the tuxeoded waiter who nodded, running off to fetch a pitcher of beer and two large mugs. He had his orders. Craig may need big favors but the man paid back in full.   
"Very nice." Alec shook his head. Before them was a large stage, it's depths hidden by a large red velvet curtain.   
"Where's the girl's?" Sketchy asked, getting down to the heart of the matter.  
"It's like a show," Alec explained. "Each girl does her act and at the end of the night we get first choice my man." Sketchy grinned, shaking his head, almost joyful in anticipation.  
"Nice clean, upscale girls."  
"High class ho's," Sketchy said.  
"Courtesan's man. They're Courtesan's." Alec nodded to the waiter, taking the mug he was offered and taking a frothy sip.  
"Dude even the beer's high class," Sketchy murmured, taking a hearty gulp. Alec shook his head, torn between smacking his companion upside the head or bursting out laughing. The truth was he was in too good a mood to do either. He was in his element here. Classy, clean, utterly delectable.   
"Perfect." He mumured, shaking his head at his good fortune.  
  
"Hey boo," Original Cindy gave her friend the usual handshake, smiling as Max plopped into a seat across from her, taking the pitcher and pouring herself a hearty cup of beer.   
"Hey." She smiled, looking around. "Where's Sketch?"  
"It's Friday remember. Boy's night out with Soldier Hunky." Original Cindy smiled. If she swung that way lord she'd be all over that boy. Max frowned.  
"Again?" Friday's were never good. Friday's and Alec always meant trouble. It didn't help that one of her best friends was going to be involved in that. Again. Alec always equaled bad things, always. Either that or loose women with strange diseases and names like Muffin and Corky. She scowled, taking a swig of her beer. This wasn't good.  
  
"This is SO good," Sketchy stretched, well into his 4th large mug. "Very good." Thus far 12 acts of gorgeous and classy but scantily clad women had paraded on the stage in front of those velvet curtains, every single one of them had been utterly delicious and according to Alec he was going to get anyone he wanted. Decisions Decisions.   
  
"One more act gents!" The goofy man in the Top Hat, who had been MCing the entire show, motioned towards the stage. "The "climax" of our evening if you will. The gorgeous Miss Gwenalyn!" He gave a swoop of his arms towards the curtains, and the opening strains of an old but still familiar song, Pre-Pulse by some grungy girl rock band flowed out, but it was different somehow. Alec sat up in his chair.   
  
The red velvet parted, and she was sprawled lazily on a velvet upholstered loveseat, one leg lazily dangling over the side, clad in knee high clunky black boots. Sex boots. She was dressed simply enough in a short black dress, a lowcut bell-sleeved blouse under it and a smart little hat atop auburn curls that cascaded down her back. She wasn't the skinniest or the prettiest of the girls. In fact she was rather chunky, but still she spoke volumes. Everything about her said power, raw uninhibited power, and she had curves in all the right places, not to mention a more then ample bosom that filled out the blouse quite nicely.  
"You look so fine I want to break your heart And give you mine You're taking me over It's so insane You've got me tethered and chained I hear your name And I'm falling over "  
Her voice was pure seduction. A siren's song if that cliche' did it any justice. The words flowed from a lush pink mouth, shiney with gloss under the lights. Alec sat up. This was interesting. This was beyond interesting, this girl was almost familiar.   
"I'm not like all of the other girls I can't take it like the other girls I won't share it like the other girls That you used to know You look so fine"  
In one hand was a smoking cigarette, the smoke rising in curls towards the roof, she brought it to those beestung lips of hers and took a drag, the smoke coming out. Somehow even that act was seductive.   
"Knocked down Cried out Been down just to find out I'm through Bleeding for you"  
One leg, the one dangling lazily over the side snapped out, graceful despite the sudden movement and hit the floor without a sound. The other quickly followed and she stood, slowly, gracefully. The shadows from her smart little hat, the shadows that had hid her eyes were gone under the lights and Alec realized exactly why she was considered the "climax". No man could refuse those eyes. Perfectly oval, large in a smooth face, heavily lashed, hazel, like crushed velvet or wet spring leaves. Those eyes were going to be many a man's uundoing. She lowered her lashes, smiling a coy smile as she brought the cigarette to her lips again. Taking a slow drag, the red tip flaring.   
"I'm open wide I want to take you home We'll waste some time You're the only one for me You look so fine I'm like the desert tonight Leave her behind If you want to show me"  
Alec couldn't help but feel drawn to her. She was so familiar, but somehow mysterious. He didn't know what it was. As sexy as she was, as beautiful as she was he didn't find himself attracted to her. He found himself intrigued.   
"I'm not like all of the other girls I won't take it like the other girls I won't fake it like the other girls That you used to know"  
She crossed the stage with slow lazy movements, to the microphone he hadn't noticed before. She snapped it out towards the crowd then back to herself. Taking another drag on the cigarette before tossing it away completely to be caught perfectly by man's top hat. There was something precise in that movement. Something he wasn't getting.   
"You're taking me over Over and over I'm falling over Over and over Drown in me One more time Hide inside Me tonight Do what you Want to do Just pretend Happy end Let me know Let it show Ending with Letting go Ending with Letting go Ending with Letting go Let's pretend Happy end"  
  
Those mysterious eyes lowered. Bed-room eyes. They were so sad, so lost. So alone. There was something vulnerable about her. Something strong as well. She was a bundle contradictions. He didn't quite know where to place her. The curtain swung closed, the last look, a sultry "come hither" type, and the room was nothing but thunderous applause. Alec took a swig of his beer.  
"Beautiful. Gorgeous," he murmured, raising his mug in salute to the girl who held him so entranced. Sketchy was in awe.  
"That was...wow." Sketchy finished off his mug.Alec nodded.  
"That one's mine," he murmured. He stood.   
"Which one do you want?" Sketchy seemed to consider.  
"The Asian." Alec nodded, finishing off his own beer.  
"I'll be right back. I'm going to make arrangements."  
  
  
The top level of the place was nothing but rooms. Apartments. Craig smiled, leading him down the hallway to what Alec guessed was the VIP Suite. Craig grinned now, flashing all his pearly whites.  
"I figured you'd choose her. Most of you guys do, she's a delight Gwenie is. Pure delight," he spoke as if he knew her intimately, but Alec could tell that he didn't. He nodded, expressionless and Craig pushed open the door. "Enjoy mate."   
  
The room was simple, beautifully decorated in creams and blacks. The bed was the focal point in the room, lacey black with elegant curtains surrounding it. Mysterious. In front of it was a table, two plush chairs at either side and champange with two glasses in the middle.  
"Hello," he turned, almost leaping out of his skin. He hadn't even noticed her there. She was still wearing the dress and bell-sleeved blouse from the act, but her hat was gone. She smiled at him seductively. She was younger here, not under the lights. No more then 16 or 17. Achild.  
"Hi," he mumured. She nodded, eyeing him up and down appreciatively.   
"None of Craig's "special guests" ever looked like you," she flashed him that same beguiling smile as from the stage.   
"I'm sure none of Craig's "special guests" were as good as me either," cocky, assured as always.   
"Have a seat." She murmured, her hands on his chest, sliding up, up. He followed them with his eyes, intrigued. Slowly she slipped his coat off his shoulders. "I'll just hang this up." She whispered and he nodded, slowly. She walked off, a walk that hoped he was watching and he made his way to the chairs, smiling and shaking his head. Of all the luck. He could kiss Craig.   
  
She returned from some far off alcove. Smiling at the fact that he made himself comfortable. Most guys fidgited at the door waiting for her to return. It was that same cocky, assured atmosphere.   
"Champagne?" She motioned and he nodded. She leaned over him, slowly pouring two glasses, sliding into his lap. Forward, not wasting anytime this one did. She was blocking his view of the glasses, and with one hand she pressed a small button on the rather gaudy silver bracelet she wore, 3 drops of liquid dripping from the emerald within it into one of the glasses. Swirling the flute, she turned, handing him one.  
"Drink up sweetheart," she didn't make a move towards her glass. Instead she busied herself with his ear, nibbling at the lobe. Alec grinned, murmuring something inaudible. She continued her ministrations, that expert mouth working magic on the side of his neck now. He took a sip of his champagne.   
"You're good at this."  
"It's my job," She smiled, opening her eyes. It was then she saw it. The black lines, permamently etched into his tan, skin, the numbers. A barcode. X5-493. Fear stabbed her sharp in the gut. She scrambled off of him, panic lighting those expressive eyes for a moment.   
"Get out," she hissed. "Get out of here." Her hands stroked her arms, suddenly cold.  
"What? I thought we were having a good time," he set the glass down. "Me and Craig have an understanding."  
"Understand this," she growled. "Get out." "What is you're problem?" He snapped, anger rising. NO girl had ever refused, him. And he'd be damned if it would start with this strangly intriguing one before him.   
"My problem? My problem? My problem is you're one of them," she snapped. She pointed to the door. "Get out of here." She rubbed her neck unconciously and that's when he understood. He crossed the room quickly, grabbing her hands.  
"Get off me! What are you-" He brushed her hands aside, not rough but not gentle either and he saw it. The barcode.  
"Seem's you're one of "them" too."   
  
X5-690. There was no doubt about it. Her hands wrenched his away from her neck, pushing him violently away.  
"Get out of here," she repeated. "Now." Alec simply smirked, plopping back into the chair, picking up his glass of champagne to take a sip.  
"So this is what you decided to do with your feedom huh?" He looked around, nodding. "Sweet deal. Except for that whole pesky sleeping with guys for money part, huh?" He drained the glass, standing up. "Don't think Manticore taught you that."  
"I don't sleep with anyone," she snapped. "Get out."  
"Can't be to good for buisness, and as I recall you were real close to sleeping with me honey," it was her turn to smirk. She could see the effects of the champagne, his eyes dropped and he blinked, as if trying to clear his head. Cocky bastard, it would serve him right.   
"Like I said, I don't sleep with them," she leaned him. "I give them a nice glass of champagne... and out they go." She giggled at the look of horror on his face as he looked from her to the glass.  
"You're not serious," she nodded.  
"Fraid so "honey"," Alec fell backwards into the chair.  
"You bitch," he murmured, feeling his eyes start to fall as the drowsiness hit him full force. "You stupid bitch." The girl just smiled.  
"Night Night." The last image he had was of the girl blowing him a kiss.  
  
  
Alec groaned, his head throbbing. His memories of the previous night came back in a hazy painful fog. He was cold and wet and hungry. Opening he eyes he realized he was no longer in the little apartment suite above Craig's highclass whore house. Instead he was laying in an alleyway, crammed between an overflowing garbage can and a stack of boxes.  
"That bitch," he growled, rising to his feet, his whole body aching from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position in such a place. Anger rose in his gut. She had no intention of sleeping with him, and that hurt. Not to mention the fact that she had humiliated him in such a way. A transgenic hooker, imagine that. It wasn't so surprising actually, he too had basically sold himself out with that whole Monty Cora thing, but it wasn't this. He brushed himself off, and that's when he noticed. Sure he had sold himself out, but he hadn't swiped anyone's wallet either. He growled, patting his pockets again.  
"THAT BITCH," he yelled, smacking the brick of the wall in a gesture that would have been comical if it had happened to anyone but him. That little tramp had drugged him, dumped him in an alley and then taken his wallet. A wallet that had well over 500 dollars in it, way more then she would have been worth if she HADN'T been a transgenic and she HADN'T drugged him up and shipped him out. Alec wasn't going to take this lying down...anymore. He growled. That bitch was going to pay, she was going to give him his money back and she was going to pay. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his damp jacket determined he stalked towards the entrance of the alleyway.   
  
  
"None of Craig's "special guests" ever looked like you," Gwen murmured, running her hand down the front of his suit jacket. The man smiled, obviously pleased, pulling him into her lap. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she smiled at him, her lashes lowered. Normal boys were so easy.  
"Champagne?" She whispered, leaning in to nibble on the lobe of his ears. "Pre-pulse, it'll put you in the right mood."  
"I think I'm in enough mood already," he gripped her waist. She smiled, she didn't panic, this happened often enough.   
"Then a little Champagne won't hurt anything," she leaned in, her eyes burning into his. "Plus I'm so hot right now it's making me a little thirsty." The man shrugged nonchalantly not caring either way, he had paid enough to the owner for this girl, a little champagne was in the package as far as he was concerned. She turned in his lap, wiggling slightly against him, and he practically purred, his hands slipping under her shirt to play with the smooth soft skin of her stomach. Gwen was practically nauseous, she leaned forward grabbing the bottle of champagne, pouring some into one glass and some into the other. She slowly pressed the tiny button on the gaudy bracelet and in dropped 4 drops of what she was considering her lifesaver. She picked the glass up, swirling it slightly she turned in his lap, his hands splaying across her belly.   
"Drink up, you'll need this for later," she was practically purring, pressing the glass to his lips.  
"Then lets not waste time," thankfull he downed the glass in two swift gulps, slamming it down on the table. He gently placed her on the floor, standing.   
"Shall we move this to the bed?" he murmured, he motioned to the bed. She giggled, placing her hands on his abdomen she slid them up, removing his dinner jacket.  
"Don't want this to get mussed," she whispered, nipping at his earlobe playfully.   
"Wouldn't want that," his voice was husky, a definite edge there. She sauntered towards the coat closet, giving her hips and extra oomph. These morons ate that up. She turned the corner where he couldn't see her and took a deep breath, hanging the coat on it's peg. She had to stall until the champagne kicked in. Just a few more minutes and-  
  
She felt herself being slammed against the wall, one of the coat racks pegs digging painfully into her cheek. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips and her eyes darted to the corners, trying to makeout her attacker. The man was there, his eyes flashing with something predatory. She saw the flash of a gun in his hand, and felt the cold steel press into her stomach through her shirt. Panic flashed through her. The way she was pressed against the wall, the man's hands unnaturally strong against her back and arms she couldn't move. His legs pressed against hers and he dug the gun deeper into her. She felt herself gasp again as his thumb brushed aside the hair at her neck, the rest of his fingers pressing her head against the wall.  
"X5-690," he whispered and her eyes widened in fear. Manticore. He had to be from Manticore. No one else knew, no one else could tell. "I know what you are "Gwen" I know what you can do. And I plan to use it," he snapped.   
  
The door swung open, slamming against the wall and Alec stormed in, his eyes flashing in rage. Craig had been very adament that he not come up here, but when he'd seen the look in Alec's eyes he had backed off, no questions asked. He knew what it was about, he had been the one to help deposit Alec in that alley the night before and he knew that the boy would be back. Gwen could take care of herself, of that he was sure.   
"GWEN," Alec yelled. "Where are you, you thieving little-" he trailed off. There was no sign of the girl.   
  
In the coat closet the man pressed the gun painfully into her stomach.   
"Don't say a word," he hissed. Gwen's eyes were wild. He couldn't kill her could he? He said he needed her. But what if he was lying? He pressed her harder into the wall and she couldn't help the throaty noise of pain that escaped. The man growled.  
"That was a mistake," he hissed.  
  
Alec heard something to his right, coming from the door in the wall. Too angry to care what he was interrupting he stalked over, wrenching the door open so it too slammed against the wall.  
"Gwen you little-" it was then he saw the man before him, pressing the girl against the wall, the unmistakable gleam of a gun sticking into her stomach. "White." He growled. White whirled, his gun trained on the boy.  
"This doesn't concern you 494," White said. "Just leave." Alec had no intention of doing any such thing. His foot snapped out, the gun flying. White growled, lunging at the boy. But his lunge lacked power, the effects of the drugs were catching up to him and he crashed into a table, a vase crashing to the floor. Gwen wasted no time, scrambling out of the closet.  
"You bastard," she hissed, her foot shot out, striking him in the back of the head. Alec was next, punching the man in the face. Even without the drugs White was out cold, overpowered and drowsy.   
"What the hell were you thinking letting him up here?" Alec yelled. "Do you have any idea who that was?" Gwen was shaking. She shook her head. "How was I supposed to know he wanted to kill me?" She bit her lip. "What the hell are you doing here?"   
"My money, you stole my money," he snapped. "We'll deal with that later. I assume you drugged him up too?" She nodded.  
"How long before he wakes up."  
"Four hours at least," she said.  
"Fine. Pack some stuff, get all your stolen money and lets go. You can't stay here anymore." He grabbed her arm, jerking her towards the bedroom portion of her apartment.  
"Who the hell do you think you are?" She jerked her arm away. "I'm not going anywhere."  
"Fine," Alec snapped, ignoring the fact that he was concerned. He was no ones hero, much less this strange thieving girl. "Get dead. I could really care less."  
"Maybe if you'd just explain to me what in all holy hell is going on I might be a little more receptive you cocky bastard," He glared at her.  
"His name is White and his primary purpose from what I've seen is to make transgenics lives a hell. Then he kills them. So if you want to stay here and let him do whatever it is the hell he plans to do. Fine. Not my problem. I've done my good deed for the day. I'm now one step closer to Eagle Scout."  
"I don't have anywhere else to go," the girl snapped. Alec struggled to think. Max would take her in, no questions. Max really got off on this hero shit. Save the weak and all that.  
"Just pack your stuff," he said frustrated. "And give me back my money."   
  
  
It took all of 10 minutes for her to drag the suitcase out from under her bed, throw all her better clothes in and drump the contents of what she considered her "safe" into her purse. Diamond necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rubies and emerald all fell into it as well as a big hunk of cash. Alec's eyes widened in greedy surprise. Maybe he could get into this hero stuff after all. She pressed his wallet into his hands, hoisting the suitcase. He just prayed Max wouldn't mind.  
  
  
Alec sighed right before he felt his back hit the wall with surprising force. She minded all right. She was downright furious. After taking one look at the girl, hearing his explanation, and realizing just who the girl really was Max had sweetly and politely asked to see him in the hall. That was warning sign number one. Max was never sweet and polite. The second warning sign was this. Him being slammed against the wall, the breath wooshing out of him.  
"You brought a HOOKER to my house and expect me to take her in?" Max hissed. "Why not your place?" Alec raised an eyebrow. Max was refusing to do her Good Samritan thing?   
"She's not a hooker," Alec said. "She doesn't sleep with the guys."  
"She slept with you didn't she?" Max snapped. Alec shrugged, his eyes wandering.  
"Well....not exactly..." Max blinked in surprise. And then she burst out laughing.   
"She drugged you too?" Alec scowled.  
"That was before she got to know me," he snapped. Max was still laughing.  
"She's not staying here," she said between giggles.  
"What? Max! White could have killed her. She has nowhere else to go!" Max patted his chest.  
"She has somewhere to go now. This will be good for you Alec. Might give you an emotion or two." Alec resisted the urge to whine.   
"I can't take her in, she's a nuisance. She's a crazy teenge girl with crazy teenage girly things going on in her fucked up transgenic head and I am NOT going to have her interfereing in my plans," Max smiled sweetly.  
"And if you don't I'll make sure that every time I see you I kick your ass," she patted his head. "We clear?"  
"Crystal," he bit out.   
"Now take her home and let her get nice and rested," Max said. "We'll have Logan get her some real papers in the morning."  
"I still don't see why she can't stay with you," Alec snapped.  
"Because she's your responsibility now," Max said. "I'll help you out but I'm not taking her in completely. Besides you have plenty of room at your place, you could use a roomate."  
  
  
TBC...(Bad place to leave off but it'll get more exciting I promise. Feedback please, I know there's not much to work with right now but feedback always makes me work a bit faster.) 


	2. The Enigma: Bells of Life

Title: The Enigma  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: Alec manages to get Gwen settled in his place. However an effort to tie up loose ends gets her in a bit of trouble.   
Author's Note: This is going to be a very LOONG fic. Many element comes into play. But I assure you it will be a very good fic. Scouts honor. Feedback NEEDED.  
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
  
Part Two  
  
Brain's apartment had been ideal at one time. It was close to work, it was private and large, not to mention nice. Brain had alot of things that Alec himself would own. Brain however had not lived in a space Alec would be willing to share with a 16 year old hooker. Alec frowned, and cast a sidewards glance at what he had deemed his "charge". Max was forcing him to swallow his manly sensibilities and act the part of babysitter, as revolting as that thought was. Now that he had Gwen in a different atmosphere, in a different setting where drink and music didn't dull his sense he could see how much of a little girl she was. Although strong, like every X5 should be, and generally stone faced and cold, he could still see the momentary flash of fear and confusion in those expressive eyes of hers. This couldn't be easy for her. In a way he wanted to reach out and give her a hug, tell her that everything was going to be okay. He wanted to let her know that as weird and utterly confusing as things were right now that he and Max would take care of her. But since he was Alec he didn't. He simply led her to the spare bedroom plopping her things onto the matress.  
"You'll sleep here," he pointed out the door. "Bathroom's on the other side of the apartment, kitchen's right there, living room is right there," he raised an eyebrow. "Any questions?" The girl shook her head. Alec waited for a minute. For what he didn't know. A thank you maybe? I appreciate this? Sorry to inconvience you? What ever it was he didn't get it, instead he got a pointed look that told him his precense wasn't needed or wanted. He scowled for a second. Fine. If that's how she wanted it. He left the room, slamming the door behind him.  
  
  
This was ridiculous. Here he was forced to take in this little teenage girl, a girl who had STOLEN his money and forced him to fight White while in the process of nursing a post-drug hangover, and then to top it all off he wasn't even getting thanked. He didn't know WHAT White wanted with the girl, in truth he didn't really care. The point was that White wouldn't let up until he had her which only made Alec's life that much more difficult. Growling, he went to the bathroom. He was going to shower. He felt disgusting, both with himself for giving into Max so easily and with Gwen for causing him so much trouble. Not to mention the fact that he passed the previous night in an alleyway not 2 feet from a garbage can. Thanks to the efforts of the aforementioned Gwen. Alec grabbed a towel. Ridiculous.   
  
  
  
Max was right as usual. Gwen was going to need papers, some kind of identification. So Alec, inconvienced again found himself sprawled across Logan's couch, waiting while the wheelchair bound computer geek tried to wring some information out of the transgenic. Max, amused at Logan's efforts was tearing into a turkey sandwhich, sprawled beside Alec on same couch. She was actually enjoying this situation. For once she was absolved of all guilt. Alec had been the one to save Gwen from White, therefore, Alec was the one who would be responsible. Not Max, not again. It was a fact she was thankful for as Logan's questioning of the girl went on. Dealing with a hormonal teenage transgenic hooker was not her idea of a good time. So instead she busied herself with eating her sandwhich.  
"Okay, Gwen," Logan bit out, his patience running thin. "How old are you?" The girl answered without a thought.  
"22." An obvious lie that one could see through, just by looking at her. She was no more then 17 if she was a day. It was the same response Logan had gotten the other 6 times he had asked the girl the same question and it looked as if it was going to be the same response he would get if he continued to ask it.   
"Fine," he was fuming. "I'll put down 22. You win." He typed it in. "Any allergies?" The girl raised an eyebrow at him. Logan nodded.  
"Right." He typed in a bold NONE. The rest of the information he made up, it didn't really seem necessary to ask her. He looked to Max and Alec. "It shouldn't take long to get the stuff. A few days at most."  
"Don't even bother," Gwen said finally. The first words she had spoken without there being a question before them. "I already have ID." She reached into her large black messenger back and drew out everything Logan had spent all this time trying to get.   
"How did-" Logan sputtered. "Why didn't you-." He threw his hands up into the air and glared at Alec. "You deserve this girl." Alec shrugged, holding up his hands in defense.  
"Like I knew she already had ID," he pointed to Max. "It was her idea to bring her here in the first place."  
"Like *I* knew she had ID!" Max shot up, glaring at Alec. "I don't even KNOW the girl. You live with her!"  
"For all of 3 hours now," Alec said. "Also your fault by the way."  
"Oh please! Like you even HAD to do what I said." Max snapped.   
"You guys-" Logan started. But they were far from done.   
"If I HADN'T you would have made my life even MORE of a hell then you do now!"   
"YOU GUYS," Logan yelled, Alec and Max stopped, looking at him. "None of this is anyone's fault. There's no blame to place. I really wish you would have told me that you already had ID, Gwen," he glared at the girl briefly, but continued on. "But since you didn't, and you obviously have it, I suppose no harm is done. Just a little time wasted." Gwen shrugged and looked to Alec.  
"Can we go now?" Alec stood up.   
"Yeah sure."  
"No way," Max yanked him back down by his shirt. "Gwenie here still has alot of explaining to do."  
"What's to explain?" Alec rubbed his neck. "I already told you everything.  
"You told me everything YOU know,"Max said, her eyes on Gwen. "I want to see what she knows."  
"I don't know anything."  
"So you have no idea why White is after you?"  
"I don't even know who the hell White IS. I thought he was just a regular customer."  
"He hunts down transgenics," Logan said softly. "He usually just kills them, but a there have been a few that he has kept for his own use." Logan glanced briefly at Alec who ignored him. Gwen just stared at him. "I think perhaps he wanted you to be one of those few Gwen."  
"So you think he wanted to use me for something?" Logan nodded.   
"What do you think he would need you for?" Max asked. Gwen shrugged, avoiding the girl's eyes.  
"I'm nothing special," she said. Max nodded.  
"Maybe he needed her for something else," Logan said. "Something she wouldn't be able to know about."  
"It's a possibitlity. Still, Gwen you have to be careful. White wants you for something and he's not the type of guy to give up easily." The girl nodded.   
"I understand." Max looked to Alec.  
"Watch her." He shrugged.  
"I'll do my best."   
  
  
  
"I'm trusting you Gwen," Alec said. "This is extremely important. A matter of life and death really." Gwen rolled her eyes, snatching the piece of paper from his hand. Three days and this guy was till a kook.  
"It's just grocery shopping," she looked at the list. "Junk food shopping rather." She raised an eyebrow at him. Alec pressed a few bills into her gloved hand.  
"It's extremely important," Alec said seriously, he was after all male and food ranked above sex and breathing on levels of importance in life. "Promise me you won't get into any trouble. My cell number is at the bottom of the list. Call if you need me." He looked at her. "You'll be okay won't you?"  
"YES," Gwen pushed him towards the door. "I've lived on my own for almost a year now and I've managed getting groceries before. I assure you I'm perfectly capable." She handed him his bag and his jacket, and the little JamPony hat. "Go to work Alec."  
"Just watch your back," Alec said. Gwen sighed.  
"Leave. I'll see you tonight when you get home." Alec gave her one last look before disappearing down the hall.   
  
  
Gwen looked at the list. With a few minor revisions she might make some of this stuff food worthy. Tucking it into her back pocket she grabbed her jacket. She would get Alec's shopping done before she ran a few errands of her own.   
  
  
"How's the Misses?" Max joked, she leaned against the locker next to his. Alec scowled at her.  
"A nuisance," he twirled the combination. "Just like I knew she would be." Max shrugged.  
"Your problem."  
"Yeah well she wouldn't be if you had just taken her in, in the first place. Or if I thought there was even a remote possibilty you'd let me get rid of her."  
"She's YOUR responsibility. I didn't save her. You did."  
"Fine," Alec gave up trying to get the locker open, throwing his hands in the air. "Sorry I saved her life. I should have just let White have her. My bad."  
"I didn't say it was a bad thing. You should have a little heart once inawhile Alec," Max glared at him. "It wouldn't kill you."  
"*I* might kill me if this continues."  
"One would hope." Max pushed off the locker, following him out towards the front desk. "So what is she going to do all day by herself?"   
"I told her to go grocery shopping. I imagine she'll watch some talk shows, maybe a soap opera or two. Yah know, normal girlie things." Alec shrugged. "I gave her my cell."  
"You left her all alone?"  
"What was I supposed to do hire a babysitter for a 17 year old transgenic?" Alec turned, glaring at Max. "She's a big girl Max. She can take care of herself. I shouldn't have to do it for her. It's not like I can just enroll her in school and hope for the best."  
  
  
It took only an hour for Gwen to finish. Alec's taste ran in the fatty and chocolatey and most of the items were confined to the same two aisles of the store. With a few expert decisions for some other more substantial food she had a pretty clearcut menu of what they would be eating for the next week until the shopping needed to be done again. She closed the last of the creaking cupboards and crumbled the last of the paper bags. All in all she felt like she had accomplished something. At least one errand was out of the way. The others would require a little more skill, a little more stealth and alot more effort. She grabbed her tobogan, they had to be done though and there was no time like the present.   
  
  
The first involved stopping by Craig's to give him her formal resignation. She would collect the hefty some of money he owed her and say goodbye to his highclass burlesque hall. She was positive White was out by now, and there was slim chance he would be returning. From what Max had told her White wasn't a complete moron and she figured he didn't think she was either. She knew exactly why he was after her. Not that she'd let Alec or Max know, but she was pretty much well aware of what use White could get out of a transgenic like her. In a way she felt responsible for involving them, but they seemed more then happy to handle the White situation and let her be the timid victim. After all White had bothered THEM first, they were already involved in the first place. All she had done was involve them a little more. How much more she wasn't sure. She wasn't exactly too sure of White's level of commitment. Just how valuable was she to him? The more he needed her the harder he'd look for her, and the bigger pain in the ass he would become.   
  
  
Gwen sighed. She would deal with all of this when it happened. Until then there was nothing she could do.  
  
  
"I ain't got the money babe," Craig looked at his former employee, frowning. She had been a goldmine in the short time she had been employed there. He was sad to see her go. Not that he valued her as a person or anything, Gwen had been a pain in the ass the whole time she had worked here. And talk about weird sexual practices, whatever the girl did her guests always ended up unconcious and always came back for more. Not only that but any attempt on his part to find out had been met with painful opposition.   
"You better get the money Craig," Gwen snapped. "Real quick like." She flexed her gloved fingers. "Or I'll be a bit angry." Craig held up his hands in defense.  
"Time's have been tough, you know better then anyone. If I had it, I'd hand it over," Craig made a cross over his heart. "I swear." Her hands shot out so fast he hadn't registered them, one gripped his shirt, the other held firmly to his throat.   
"I hate it when you lie Craig," Gwen mumured. "So why don't you open your little safe over there-" her eyes glanced towards a painting. She knew that's where his safe was, she had seen him open it many a time. Even entertained the thought of breaking into it a time or two."-and get me what you owe me." She smiled sweetly, pushing him towards the wall.   
"Gwenie you have to understand-" her grip tightend, cutting him off.  
"I understand that your a thieving bastard Craig, and I KNOW you have more then enough in that safe to pay me what you owe me. I'll get my money right now, today, or I'll cut off some very necessary body part and beat you with it. Got it?" She shoved him towards the wall and he stumbled, falling to the floor.  
"Got it," he wheezed.  
"Good, now open the safe." Craig pulled himself up using the wall, and he pulled back the picture frame, behind it was the sturdy metal safe that had kept his holdings secure for so many years. A few quick turns of the combination dial and a jerk on the handle and he was in. He reached in to grab the box of cash but she pushed him aside.  
"I'll get it," she snapped.   
"But-" her look silenced him and he watched her take out his precious box of money, open it and extract a hefty set of bills from it's insides. "Hey-" again her look silenced him.  
"I've dealt with enough of your shit to deserve this Craig, and know that I've made you 10 times this much, so don't even think about bitching," she shoved the money into her bag. "If you have a problem with anything tell me now Craig and I'll be sure to deal with it accordingly."  
"No problem," he murmured. "No problem at all."  
"Good. I'll be going then, can't say it's been particuarly pleasent knowing you Craig." With that the girl sauntered out, carrying a large portion of HIS money. It was enough to make Craig's blood boil. Still rubbing his throat he moved over to the desk, pushing a button on the phone. "Lenny," he said, voice hoarse, into the speaker. "Send Frank and Conner, and whoever else you can round up, downstairs immediately, we have an issue of security with a former employee. Gwen's taken some of my money." He released the button. She may have his money but he wasn't going to make it easy for her.  
  
  
Satisfied and alot richer Gwen let herself smile a little, nodding a goodbye to Georgie the cute old doorman, she hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder. She figured she would go home, relax on Alec's couch, maybe watch some television. Perhaps she would swing by the bookstore on her way home, pick up a cheesy romance. She wouldn't be needing work anytime soon, not with the hefty wad of cash she had procured today. She felt her bag being yanked violently backward, almost wrenching her arm out of the socket. The powerful pull had her turning around.  
  
  
"Hey what the-" she pushed off the large chest of her attacker. Craig's lackies. She should have known the putz wouldn't just let her leave. "Oh. I get it." She used all her strength to wrench her bag back. "Lousy thieving bastard." She lashed out, her booted foot connecting to the side of Frank's face. He was a big man, but stupid and slow. Conner was much the same, although there was a fluid grace in his big hulking movements. Frank sent a beefy fist flying for her face and she dodged it easily, returning with a punch and roundhouse of her own. Conner grabbed her shoulders from behind, and two other large males she didn't know were making thier way towards her from the velvet curtain. She snapped her head back, wincing a little as it connected dead on with Conner's face. Ignoring the pain she sent her elbow back, right into his gut, he grunted and doubled over and she used that as an opportunity to bring the same elbow down swiftly on the back of his head. Conner slumped unconcious onto the wooden floor, Georgie was frozen in terror at the desk, and his hand was going towards the phone, he couldn't call the police, but he sure as hell looked like he wanted to call someone for help. But Georgie wasn't her problem, Frank was. He lunged for her and she darted him easily, but a stray arm aimed her way caught her in the back and Gwen went down onto her knees. The two other thugs, she didn't know what thier names were, took that opportunity to make their own clumsy attempts at attacking her. Blondie went for her bag, that was after all the prize, and she clutched it to her chest, her eyes going feral. She wasn't in the mood for this shit today. And truthfully it was starting to piss her off. She let out something between a scream and a growl meant mostly to catch them off guard and went for the other one, she grabbed his head with both her hands, and brought it hard into her own. She felt a searing pain, but again ignored it. She was too focused now. Too into the fight to think clearly. Adrenaline was pumping, and she grinned crazily with excitement. The bag fell forgotten to the floor, no longer the issue here. Blondie faltered for a minute, and she used that to her advantage as any good soldier would. Her hand shot out, palm open, fingers curled down, and she hit him dead on his nose with the heel. He cried out in pain as the bone of his nose snapped, and she felt blood splatter onto her face hot and sticky. Clutching his nose he stumbled away, howling. The other guy had risen and was backing away, fear in large blue eyes. She looked absolutely insane, little rivers of blood ran down her face from the large gash she had made by smacking her head into his own. Her eyes were large and crazy and she had this strange little smile on her face. He turned to run but he felt small hands grab onto the back of his shirt and wrench him backwards. Gwen brought her arm down in a calculated spot on the back of his neck and the man fell easily. She then turned to Blondie, the final remaining member of Craig's little foursome of fear, what a joke. His eyes too were wide with pain and fear, blood ran down his face from his nose, into his mouth. An abundance of it. Her foot lashed out, connecting with the side of his head and he too fell just as easily as his predecessors. Her bag was on the ground, not too far away from the fallen Conner and she calmly picked it up, gave a little nod of goodbye to Georgie and sauntered out.   
  
  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?" She had expected him to freak out, of course. She had prepped herself for it the whole long walk home. She hadn't however expected it to hurt so much. Her head was pounding from her exertions and his yelling wasn't helping. He wasn't even supposed to be here this early, and not with Max. She had hoped to be cleaned up when he arrived, not covered in blood. She couldn't hide the gash but at least should wouldn't be sweating and caked with dried blood, some her own, some from the blond guy whose nose she had broken.  
"I was thinking I needed my money," she said softly. She wasn't in the mood to argue with him.  
"You could have been killed."  
"I was fine. They were easy," she said. "Obviously not," Max said, she came at Gwen with a wet cloth, fully intent on cleaning up her wound. "You look like hell."  
"Should have seen the looks people on the street were giving me," Gwen murmured. "Crazy blood lady." Max nodded.  
"I can imagine," but Alec cut in.  
"You let people on the street see you?" a new anger rose within him. An anger that stemmed from the possibility that she had been spotted by White.  
"How else was I too get back here? Fly?" Gwen sucked in a breath as Max began to wipe away the blood. Her head was killing her. She was lucky she hadn't gotten herself a concussion.   
"Where do you get off drawing that kind of attention to yourself?" Alec was going on. Max rolled her eyes, offering a small smile to the wounded girl that seemed to say "Just ignore him." Gwen nodded and let the older girl wash away the blood and clean the gash. It wasn't deep and it wouldn't require stitches, but the ugly red flesh was enough to make her reach for her tobogan. She could see Alec's face twisted in fury in the mirror.   
"Are you sure no one followed you?" Alec asked. She nodded. "Positive."  
"You're completely sure?"  
"Jesus Alec I'm sure alright? Leave me alone." He was blowing this situation completely out of proportion. It wasn't that big a deal. She had gone to run an errand, had gotten the money and had been faced with opposition. Sucky opposition at that. It was hardly anything that he needed to worry about. Max reached into the First Aid kit and drew out a small bandage to put over the gash.  
"Seriously Alec. Chill," she agreed. "Gwen is fine. If she says she wasn't followed then she wasn't." Max looked at him, finishing with her ministrations. "There, all better." Max turned to Alec, laying a hand on the angry boy's chest. He looked down at it, ceasing to say anything else. "Can I talk to you in the living room for a moment?" His eyes snapped to hers.   
"Fine." Angry he stalked from the bathroom. Max held up a single finger to the girl, telling her they would only be a minute and she closed the door. She turned to Alec.  
"Will you just chill?" Max said. "You're awful over protective of your "nuisiance"."  
"She could have led him right to the apartment!" Alec was saying. "She didn't even think-"  
"Not something you're known for either if I recall," Max's eyes softened for an instant. "I know that you feel protective of her. It's only natural. When you save someone's life you feel responsible for them in a way. You saved hers, and now that she's living here, what with her being so young and all, you feel like you need to protect her. I realize these last three days have been hard on you Alec but why don't you swallow that manly pride bullshit of yours and cut the girl some slack?" Alec blinked. Max's eyes were hard again, glaring at him.  
"You feel responsible for me?" He said after a moment. Max visibly faltered, the question completely from left field.  
"What?"  
"You said that when you save someone's life you feel responsible for them. You've saved mine, what, twice now?" Alec was staring at her, and Max shifted, uncomfortable under his gaze.  
"Of course I don't..." Max shook her head. "You can take care of yourself Alec."   
"Yeah," he ran a hand through his hair. He resumed glaring at her. "We done?" Max let out a sigh. He was so stubborn sometimes.   
"Yeah we're done," she reached backwards, opening the door. Gwen practically spilled out onto the floor she was pressed against it so hard trying to hear them. She smiled sheepishly at the pair, straightening.  
"Lost my balance, concussion and all that." she said. Max hmmmed and raised an eyebrow.   
"Why don't you bring Gwen by Crash later Alec? Introduce her to the rest of the crew? She's been living here, what, 3 days?" Alec shrugged.  
"We might drop by." Max gave a little wave to Gwen, a little glare to Alec and she was gone.   
"Crash?" Alec shrugged again.   
"It's a club. Crappy rap music and cheap beer, but it's not for company," Alec looked at her. "You want to go?" Gwen nodded.  
"Yeah, I just want to shower and ya know, get freshened up first." It was Alec's turn to nod. He watched her as she went back to the bathroom. She was going to be way more trouble then she was worth. Sure she was loaded, the large wad of cash she had risked her neck for today and all those gems he had seen in her suitcase told him that, but he couldn't help but feel that it wouldn't be near enough for all the crap he was going to have to deal with while she was staying here. He just hoped he could deal with it.  
  
  
  
Max took a sip of her beer, sighing a little. Music pumped around them, and the night was alive and happy with people just trying to have a little fun. All the pool tables were spoken for so that was out, and the place was packed. Still Max couldn't bring herself to catch any of that infectious giddiness everyone was spilling out. Even Original Cindy was gleeful, checking out every female that passed by, offering a lude comment and then resumed to bebop in her seat to the music. Sketchy was already 3 pitchers of beer ahead of them grinning like a madman, making a few clumsy observations before he would join O.C. in her beboping. Max's mind however was on less care-free things. It was on Alec. His comment to her before had sent her reeling. Did she feel responsible for him? She supposed in a way she did. Alec was a "look before you leap" kinda person and he wasn't exactly Mr. Cautious. She had gone out of her way to ferret out information about that Berrisford thing, and she had wasted no time in rushing over to save his ass. So yeah, she felt responsible for him. But with responsiblity and concern there came other feelings, ones that she didn't want to think about overmuch. She didn't like the thought that she was actually starting to care for Alec. She didn't even like the guy, why should she care about him?  
"Speak of the devil," she murmured, her eyes went to the door where the boy in question had entered, with wide-eyed Gwen beside him. Original Cindy smiled, looking from her friend to Alec.  
"Who's the girl with Soldier Hunky?" She leaned forward to get a better view of Gwen.  
"Seventeen and straight," Max said giving the disappointed Cindy an affectionate smile. "Her name is Gwen."  
"Is she a..." Cindy trailed off when Max nodded. Sketchy looked at the girl.  
"Whoever she is, she's pretty hot."  
"Seventeen Sketchy," Max reminded her friend. Original Cindy looked at the girl with renewed interest.  
"Wait that's the girl from the classy whore house," Sketchy almost fell out of his chair in recognition. Original Cindy raised an eyebrow at Max.   
"Do tell." Max leaned towads her friend.  
"The girl stole money from Alec and when he went to get it back White was there roughing her up." Original Cindy pulled back.  
"And Alec decided to keep her? Like a stray puppy?" Alec and the girl were getting closer, making thier way through the crowd towards thier table.  
"He's afraid the girl will be captured by White." Max said. "He feels responsible." Cindy raised her eyebrow even higher if possible.  
"Alec? Responsible?" Max shrugged. It made sense to her.  
"I don't get it either." She said instead.  
"You sure him and Junior don't have something going on? Any other reason he'd "keep her"?" Max shook her head.  
"I don't think Alec would take advantage of her like that."  
"But Sketchy said she was-" Max shook her head again.  
"She says she never slept with any of her...clients. She has some kind of sleep drug in her bracelet. She'd knock 'em out by putting the drug in thier champagne, take thier money and when they woke up the next morning they usually didn't remember enough or were too embarrassed to say anything. That's how she got Alec's money." Max shrugged. Cindy sat back, taking it all in. Aparently Max had been busy these past three days.   
"Hey Cindy, Sketch," Alec cleared his throat. "Max." He pushed Gwen forward.  
"This is Gwen," the girl gave a small wave of hello and Sketchy was immediately to his feet.  
"Can I just say that I have ALOT of respect for girl's in your profession and if there's ever ANYTHING you need-" Original Cindy yanked him back down. Gwen flushed in embarassment.  
"Ignore him. He's drunk. Perpetualy," she gave the girl a smile.  
"Original Cindy." The girl nodded, and Alec slid a chair to her, takng one for himself, despite the glares he got from the table he had stolen them from.   
"It's nice to meet you," Gwen looked around. "I like it." She said to Alec. Alec shrugged.  
"To each his own." Max handed Alec a beer, but was unsure of what to give Gwen. Gwen however solved that problem herself, she grabbed the pitcher, pouring herself a hefty glass when Max made no move to offer her one.  
"My ID says I'm 22 for a reason," she said to Max taking a sip. Cindy's eyebrow went up again. Alec was unconcerned that his charge was drinking and she was underage, he simply took a sip of his own beer and slouched in the chair. The gash from the days events was hidden under Gwen's hat and for that Max was thankful, she had already given enough for Original Cindy to chew on without having to add that little adventure to the books.   
"Do you guys hang out here often?" the girl said after a moment. Max nodded.  
"Practically everyday." The girl nodded.  
"I didn't leave the club much," she looked around again. She liked it here. It was...interesting, if not a little dirty. "Can I dance? Or do you think that would draw "too much attention"." The girl looked to Alec, the sarcasm uunmistakable. He shrugged.  
"As long as we're clear about what kind of club this is and what kind of dancing you can't do, go ahead." He looked bored and Gwen glared at him, pushing away from the table. She gave a smile to the others.   
"I'll be back soon." Sketchy lurched to his feet.  
"I think I'll dance too." He was too fast even in his drunken state for either Original Cindy or Max to drag him back and niether really felt like doing it. Gwen could take care of herself.  
"What is your deal?" Max hissed to Alec. "You can at least make her feel a little more welcome." Alec shrugged.   
"I'm just being me," he finished the rest of his beer.  
"Obviously," Max glared. "Stop with the prostiture and stripper jokes okay?" Alec shrugged.  
"If the shoe fits."  
"I'm going to beat you over the head with that fucking shoe if you don't let up on her." Alec winced as she hit his arm.  
"Okay God," he snapped. "I'll leave her be."  
"Good." She looked towards where Gwen was dancing. The girl had skills. The source of which Max wasn't to interested in thinking about further.  
"Just let her have a little fun. She's just a kid," Max looked at the girl sadly. "She's spent her whole life in Manticore. The least we can do during her brief time with us is give her a good time." Alec gave a jerky nod and poured himself another beer. He didn't seem interested in offering the girl a good time in the least. Thier eyes locked, they both knew what it was like to miss out on a child-hood and niether of them wanted that to happen to the girl. Who knew how long they would have the keeping of her, the least they could do was make it enjoyable. However they were different people, while Max felt a noble urge to let the girl enjoy herself, Alec could have cared less whether she was having a good time or not. They sat there, uncomfortable in the silence, Original Cindy's eyes darting between them, and a girl they both had different attitudes toward dancing in the crowd.   
  
TBC...(::sings:: Feedback!!! I promise the plot will start unfolding here soon. Just be patient) 


	3. The Enigma: Defiance Kills

Title: The Enigma  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: A fuming Craig runs into an equally fuming White who offers him back the money he lost and then some if he'll agree to help locate Gwen. Which he does.  
Author's Note: This is going to be a very LOONG fic. Many element comes into play. But I assure you it will be a very good fic. Scouts honor. Feedback NEEDED.  
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
Part Three  
  
Even after a week of relatively no information on the girl his anger hadn't cooled in the slightest. The humilation and knowledge that he had been outsmarted by no more then a kid still burned in the back of his brain. She had made a fool of him, and hadn't even broken a sweat in the process. Then there was the other element of his anger. Yet again his plans had gone awry due to the meddling intervention of that fool X5-494. What he had been doing there White didn't have a clue, there had been no connection with 494 and 690 in any of the reports from the survelliance team. In fact the whereabouts of 494 were an utter mystery to White. The girl however had been easy to track, her "fame" as it was had cast her in the spotlight for a brief period of time. Long enough for her to be located and matched up to the information he had on her.   
  
To say he needed this one was an understatement. She was necessary. How the project had gotten on so well without her was a mystery. But the normal method were no longer cutting it. It was time for a change and X5-690 would be that change whether she wanted to be or not.  
White crossed the familiar threshold of the club. She wouldn't be here of course. She wasn't that stupid, and truthfully he shouldn't be there either but he couldn't resist. No stone unturned and all that. He made his way past the bouncer, past the man at the desk and past the tables and chairs towards the back where Craig's office lay. He knew it well, he had been there many a time in the past. This wouldn't be the last time. No he would be here again he was sure of it. Despite Craig's lack of brain power the man had an amazing ability to ferret information from the most unlikely sources about the most mundane things. He had been the one to lead White to the girl in the first place. Gwen as she was called here in the real world. He pushed open the door, not bothering to knock. What was the point?   
  
Craig was as always sprawled behind his desk in that large office chair, phone pressed to his ear, greedy fingers counting a wad of cash. White glared at him in disgust. Craig mumbled a quick goodbye into the reciever and sat up.  
"I promise you Mr. White that I am not responsible in the least for Gwen's actions," Craig shoved the money into his little black box. "I'll give you a full refund of course and I-" White held up a hand.  
"Relax Craig. I'm not interested in a refund," he motioned for the man to sit down, which he did without question. "I'm interested in information." White crossed the room quickly. "I understand that...Gwen...took a good bit of money from you recently."  
"Yeah, roughed up my boys good to get it too." Craig shook his head sadly. "They quit on me. Cowardly bastards."  
"And I'm sure you'd be interested in getting that money back," Craig nodded his head.  
"Of course I would."  
"And you would of course want a little extra to make up for your lost employees would you not?" Again Craig nodded.  
"And maybe a bit to help assuage your wounded pride?" Craig wasn't sure what assuage meant but he nodded again. Money was money after all. "I'm willing to offer you the money Craig in exchange for some information about...Gwen as you call her."  
"I don't know nothing Mr. White. Last time I seen her was the day the bitch made off with my cash," Craig said and White nodded.  
"I know that," he leaned over the desk. "All I'm asking for is a tidbit or two. See if some of your boys have seen her around town. All I need to know is if she's still around, where she might be living that kind of thing." White smiled slowly at the man. "If I get what I need you get your money, and I'll leave you alone. That's all I want." Craig seemed to consider for a second and nodded. It only took a moment, the money too good to pass up.  
"Deal. I'll see what I can come up with," White nodded.  
"A hangout will do, maybe a store or something. But find her."  
"I'll send all my boys immediately, they'll comb the city looking for her Mr. White. Scouts honor," he held up a few fingers in what he must have thought to be a Scout symbol. White nodded and turned.  
"I'll be back in a few days to see your progress Craig," Craig nodded but White was already leaving and the reaction was lost. Craig lifted up his phone. He had no idea what White wanted with Gwen but one look in his eyes and Craig could tell it wouldn't be pleasent. He dialed a few numbers and smiled to himself. Revenge was sweet indeed.  
  
  
The next day Alec found himself glaring at his "roommate" for what felt like the thousandth time in the short week they had lived together. She simply ignored him, turning a page in her book, sprawled across his white couch. She had a stack of similar books beside her, almost as tall as she was varying in genre and author. In Manticore she had never gotten to read such on diverse field of subjects, the only reading she had been allowed to do was educational and usually involved the best way to take out an opponent and fiction was so much better then that.   
"Where did you get all these books?" He picked one up, and put it back on the stack, praying said stack didn't topple.  
"A bookstore," she said, turning another page her eyes darting back and forth across it. She was a voracious and fast reader, able to blow through an entire book in a little over 30 minutes and love every minute of it. If given an hour she could memorize whole chapters, yet another advantage of being a Frankenstein freak. The only one she actually enjoyed. Her other "advantages" in short, weren't.   
"And how did you get them all BACK here," Alec said patiently. He was getting to his point eventually, and from there he could lecture.  
"Some boy helped me," she shrugged. "Cute, kinda pimply. Not overly interesting."  
"And did it EVER cross your mind that perhaps he was working for White? Even in the slightest?" His voice rose an octave.  
"No. But then again it never occured to me that the Chinese delivery guy might work for White either, yet HE'S delivered here three times this week." She raised an eyebrow, but didn't even look at him. Instead she turned another page.  
"That's not the point! I told you not to go out unless I was here." Alec snapped.  
"Max said it would be fine."  
"And Max is suddenly in charge here?"  
"I wasn't under the impression that even YOU were in charge here," another page.   
"You deliberately disobeyed me!" Alec was yelling.  
"Again, I wasn't under the delusion that I was supposed to obey you in the first place," her voice was calm, laced with sarcasm, and she turned another page. "Chill. Dad." That was it. The last straw. Alec clawed at his hair, a scream of frustration leaving his lips.  
"That's it, I can't deal with this." He grabbed his jacket.  
"Where are you going?" She looked up now.   
"Out." The door slammed behind him and Gwen shrugged, turning another page. At least he wasn't yelling anymore. She turned another page.  
  
  
"Where do you get off telling her she can leave the apartment without me?" Max and Logan looked up in surprise. Logan was, as usual at his computer typing away and Max was laying on his couch absorbed in a book.   
"What?"  
"You told her she could leave!" Alec was saying. "To go to the bookstore," Max sat up. "That's it."  
"The point is I didn't want her leaving and now she thinks all she has to do is run to you for permission and she can do whatever she pleases."  
"She's not a prisoner Alec. She's a girl who wanted something to read, none of the books in your apartment interested her, or she's already read all the ones that did so she went to spend some of HER money at a bookstore. It was like 2 blocks from your place. Not that big a deal."  
"That's not what I CARE about Max. I don't give a shit if she went to go get a damn newspaper at the corner, the point is it's dangerous for her to go out and I told her NOT too unless I was there. And you went behind my back and said it was perfectly okay."  
"Because it's NOT perfectly okay for you to treat her like a piece of property. You don't *own* her Alec, you can't tell her what to do. The only reason she listens to you at all is because she doesn't want to hear you bitching," they were both standing now, toe to toe. Logan watched with interest as the drama unfolded. He had caught only a glimpse of the girl they were talking so heatedly about since the ID debaucle but she had seemed perfectly fine.  
"The only reason I bitch is because YOU told me to watch her," Alec said. "Otherwise I wouldn't do it at all."  
"Well stop watching her so damn closely! White's been on our asses for months yet we still manage to leave and parade all over the city without taking some kind of goddamn entourage. She's JUST as capable as we are Alec. Younger does not mean stupider." Alec paused for a moment.  
"I was perfectly capable too," Alec said, his voice no longer as loud as it had been. "And White still got me."  
"But we worked it out," Max snapped. "And if he gets her we'll work it out again. Just because he went out looking for her doesn't mean we have to hide her away like some leper and never let her see the light of day."  
"I don't know what to do with her," Alec ran a hand through his hair and plopped onto the sofa.  
"School?" Logan suggested finally and Alec shook his head.  
"No way would they let her go to school. She'd blow them all away," Max nodded. "The girl reads like a book every 15 minutes," Max sighed.  
"Normal might let her work at Jam Pony," Logan offered again and Alec shook his head. "They need people right?" No thanks to Alec.  
"Too exposed." Logan nodded.  
"Right." He thought again.  
"Why doesn't she stay with Logan during the day? He could teach her some computer stuff or something," Alec shook his head.  
"I don't think-"  
"It's cool," Logan said. "I don't mind."  
"I don't think she'd like that too much," Alec said.  
"Why?" Max asked.   
"She doesn't like Logan too much," Alec shrugged. He could care less if he hurt Logan's manly pride. He didn't like Logan too much either. The guy was boring. Logan blinked. That was a new one. He shrugged it off.  
"Oh."   
"Well we can't let her sit around your apartment all day, and since you're obviously extremely against her being outside we'll have to come up with something else." Logan was still smarting from Alec's comments so he said nothing. They sat there, three adults trying to figure out what to do with one teenager.  
  
  
  
Gwen growled, tossing the book aside. This was absurd. She had been better off at the whore house. At least there she got paid, and no one told her what to do. She had been able to walk around and go outside, she just hadn't. And now that she WANTED to leave Alec wouldn't quit bitching enough to let her. She wasn't sure why she listened to him, or why he even gave a shit. He didn't like her. She was a nuisance, a liabilty. A big dent in his income. He had said so himself at least 100 times since she had arrived. She would have left except that now that she'd beaten up Craig's help there was no way he would take her back and if she was forced to find a place of her own where she had to pay rent she'd have to get a job. And if Alec's fears about White finding her held any water she wouldn't have that job for long. She knew that Alec's anger stemmed mostly from the fact that he himself had been captured by White and it wasn't something he was willing to relive. His pride had been wounded and he had been forced to succumb to Max in the end. It was a big blow to his ego, inflated as it was. Max had given her the whole story, one evening at Crash. The Alec Max painted was greedy, opportunistic and stubborn, and while this didn't differ at all from the Alec Gwen painted, the one Max had been telling her about could really care less about some sullen teenage girl with a price on her head. She stood up. She had no idea why Alec was such a pain in her ass, but she decided she had enough for one day. She grabbed her jacket and pulled it on. She then shoved her tobogan on her hand and put on her gloves. She wasn't going to wait around for Alec to come back and yell at her again. She was going out. She had other things to do anyway. Things she had been putting off for as long as possible, but things that would be impossible to put off for much longer. She grabbed her bag. She would deal with Alec when she got home, for now she had things to do.  
  
  
Gwen had been here before. It was the one place she had gone reguarly when she worked at the club. It too was a club, dark and forbidding, more of a gothic atmosphere. But it was the only place to get what she needed, and she generally enjoyed the music. Hard-rock type stuff. Slayer, Disturbed, old-school pre-pulse bands who loved electric guitars and yelled lyrics. She had studied up on them. She made her way through the crowd, nodding to those she found familiar, making her way towards the back. She never liked to stay too long. The dazed and dreary looks of the occupants freaked her out a little, they floated around the club dazily bobbing thier heads to the music, and some had more piercings then brains. Never a good combination. A few minutes, long enough for her to finish her buisness, was all she could usually stay without getting hit on. He would be in the back, under the stairs, he always was. He always had just what she needed too.   
  
Pushing her way through the crowd her head doing it's own little bob too the music she could just make him out in the shadows. So intent was she on her destination that she didn't notice the hulking man at the entrance, his eyes on her the entire time. She didn't notice him exit the club, taking out a cellphone. Instead she gave a bright sunny smile to the pale stair-dweller who looked at her with red-rimmed eyes. He didn't smile back, he never did but it didn't bother her.  
"Already dude?" He asked and she nodded. "A little early isn't it?"  
"I'm just trying to get it out of the way." He nodded as if he actually understood. Which she knew he didn't. He reached into the messenger bag at his side, drawing out a bottle.   
"How many?"  
"Um," she thought a minute. "Five." He blinked in surprise.  
"Seriously dude?" She nodded.  
"I don't want to have to come back." He nodded, not believing her in the least. She could really care less if he believed her at all. He was an idiot. He drew out five small glass bottles of what she needed and handed them too her, out in the open, in plain sight of everyone. It was his way. He could have cared less if what she did was legal to not.  
"500." He said and she nodded, reaching into the bag, safely tucking the bottles into her little tin box before she extracted 5 hundred dollar bills from the roll of money she had taken from Craig a few days before. The man gave her a nod, stuffing it all into his pocket.  
"Pleasure doing buisness with you dude, as always." She nodded.  
"See ya around," she turned, pushing her way back towards the door. Already guys in hoodies with numerous piercings were zooming in and she didn't really want to deal with that. She made her way towards the door.  
  
"Where? The Cess Pit? Okay," Craig nodded and looked across his desk at his ever present visitor. White had been there bright and early to figure out the progress Craig had made since the day before. In a word, none, till now. "We got her." Craig said, White raised an eyebrow. "My man spotted her on 7th street and she went into a club called The Cess Pit." White nodded, he knew of it. Vaugely, and wished he didn't. "She just left, heading east on Warner. White nodded, taking out his own cell. "I expect this is the kind of information you wanted." White ignored him, pressing a button. The man on the other end picked up on the first ring. "Yeah."  
"Target is going east on Warner. Intercept her and bring her to the warehouse. Alive. Preferably unharmed, but do what's necessary for apprehension." White clicked the phone shut, no goodbyes, no chit chat. He looked at Craig.   
"Yes. This is the kind of information I wanted," he stood up.  
"And payment?" White nodded.  
"Of course," he reached into his jacket. "You did a good job Craig. But I'm afraid your usefulness is at an end. Can't have you talking to the wrong people. Now can we?" Craig opened his mouth to say something,eyes wide with realization, but he was kept from saying anything by a swift bullet to the brain.  
  
  
Alec was fuming. She wasn't in the apartment, and despite his talk with Max just hours before he didn't feel good about it. He was downright furious. Alec flipped open his cell, pressing a number he had sadly put on speeddial when he had gotten the new one. His old one was laying smashed on a sidewalk somewhere.   
"Max," Max answered after a few rings.   
"Is Gwen there?" He asked. "Cause she's sure as hell not here." "No." Max frowned, he could here it over the phone. "Did she leave a note?"   
"She doesn't seem like the note-leaving type there Max."   
"Good point." Max searched her brain. "Bookstore?" "She just went today. Why would she go back?" Alec scowled. Perfect. Another perfectly good waste of his time. Where's Fucking Waldo, only Waldo's name was Gwen and Waldo was being hunted by a psycho transgenic killer.  
"I'll be there in a few minutes okay? I'm sure she just went out for a second. Don't worry about it." Max disconnected and Alec sighed. The feeling in his gut told him that he should be doing the exact opposite.  
  
  
Gwen hummed "Bloodline" as she walked. The last song she had heard in The Cess Pit. Mission accomplished, yet another thing she wouldn't have to worry about for awhile. It was a load off that for sure. She hated going into that place and now she wouldn't have to for at least a few months. It was strangely freeing to completely ignore Alec and go off on her own to the more seedy parts of town. Parts of town she had traversed on her own before but she hadn't really been disobeying anyone then. After living a life where one didn't dare disobey it was nice to be able to once in awhile. She didn't know where she was going next, she didn't really care. She figured she'd stop into Crash, have a drink or two, then head home and face the wrath of Alec. Not the most ideal end to an evening but she at least she could prove to him that she wasn't some little girl. If she could survive one day on her own without getting into trouble she could survive two. These were the thoughts going through her head when the 3 men stepped out from the shadows before her. Her first instinct was "More of Craig's guys" but Craig's guys didn't wear dress suits. Craig's guys were usually large and foreboding, they weren't tall and lithe with densely compact muscles and cold hard eyes. She knew an instant later that they were't Craig's usual goons. She knew in the next instant when they all three took a step towards her, that they wanted her.   
  
  
"She's not here," Max scanned the room, super vision in effect. Alec nodded.   
"Thanks Obvious Girl, what super power are you going to reveal to me next?" He turned towards the door.  
"My amazing ability to kick your ass if you don't shut up," she followed him. "Where next? We've already checked the bookstore and the grocery."  
"We could check Craig's club. She might have decided to go back," Max raised an eyebrow.  
"You think she would do that?" Alec shrugged.  
"It's worth a shot."   
  
  
"Don't suppose you guy's know the way to the Space Needle huh?" She backed up retracing her steps. These guys didn't look like the type she wanted to tango with. They didn't look all that normal. "No? Not from around here huh?" She kept backing up. "I'm sure someone around here can tell me." She backed up a little more. "Thanks anyway." And with that she took off at a run.  
  
  
Alec was speeding but he hardly cared, and Max didn't seem to mind at all either. His unease was rubbing off on her and as she sat next to him in the car, top down so they could scan the streets for the girl she couldn't help but worry. It was starting to get dark and while Gwen hadn't seemed to particuarly LIKE Alec's anal rules she hadn't gone out of her way to break them this blatantly. Not to mention there was a sinking feeling in Max's gut that Alec hadn't been completely wrong for once. Perhaps there was some merit in worrying like a mother hen.   
  
They didn't hestitate to follow, seemingly expecting it. Her bag banged painfully at her thigh but it didn't slow her down any. She turned a corner swiftly and they followed, a chorus of banging footsteps against the pavement. The darkness was closing in and the alley she had turned into was darker still. She leapt, her feet landing on top of a garbage can and she leapt again, her fingers grasping onto the roof of the building the garbage can was pressed up against. She hoisted herself up, hearing the bang of metal as the 3 goons followed suit. She didn't allow herself time to think, she merely ran. It was an apartment building from what she could make out in the blurs passing her eyes as she ran. A roof garden, she leapt over potted hibiscus and creeping roses and almost went sprawling from someone's sunbathing folding chair left in the middle of the flat roof. She leapt over it just in time however, her eyes looking far ahead. There were perhaps three more roofs ahead of the same quality and then one sprawling sky scraper of a building that could present a problem, and she could feel the three goons gaining. Again she didn't think, she acted, she leapt across the 15 or so feet that stretched between the roofs and landed easily on the other side, her feet never breaking stride. A few seconds later she could hear the dull thud of 3 feet hitting the roof in much the same fashion. They were transgenics no doubt about it. No norm could jump fifteen feet like that, or leap up as she had onto the roof in the first place. How White had known where to find her she didn't know but she didn't have time to think about it as she leapt another 15 feet to the next roof. She was running out of roofs here and all this jumping wasn't slowing the Three Stooges down any.   
  
The club that had once been owned by Craig was dark and forboding now, bright yellow police tape surrounded the perimeter and more then one partrol car sat in front. Alec knew without going inside that he would not be collecting on any more favors from Craig. Max had, just seconds before, returned, confirming his suspicions.  
"Think she was here?" Alec shook his head. "I don't think she did this. She didn't hate Craig enough to kill him."  
"White?" Alec shrugged.   
"It's a possibility. But I don't think Craig had that many friends. It could have been anyone." Max nodded.  
"Well I guess that rules this place out. Where else can we look?" Alec shrugged.   
"I can't think of anywhere else she's been lately."   
"I'll call Logan's," Max whipped out her cell.  
"She wouldn't go there. Willingly," he put the car into reverse.   
"It can't hurt to make sure. Then I call Original Cindy and see if she dropped by the apartment, or Crash."  
"Call my place too incase she came back. I'll drive around and see if we can spot her." Max nodded, already dialing.   
"We'll find her." Max murmured, but she wasn't so sure.  
  
  
She leapt, her feet landing her easily on the balcony. It was a night club, one of many it seemed in this stupid city. She could see the couples inside, dancing in the strobe effect of the swinging light, through the glass and the pulsing music reached her even outside. She reached to open the door, maybe go inside and lose herself in the crowd. But they were to fast. Goon Number 1 leapt up just seconds after her, and he grabbed her arms. She twisted in his grip, and in response he pushed her backwards through the glass.   
  
"Original Cindy says she hasn't seen her. No answer at your place either." Max went to dial, Logan. Alec nodded, taking a corner sharply.   
"Logan?" Max said into the phone. Alec looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Listen, is Gwen there?" Max listened to his answer. Her eyes went wide. " Yeah it might be. Okay. We'll be there in a few minutes. Do you want to meet us or-" she nodded. "Okay yeah. Okay. Thanks Logan."  
"She wasn't there but Logan was listening to the police radio," Max looked at him. "Palm Too on Banker is reporting some kind of disturbance." Alec nodded.  
"It's worth a look," He made an illegal u-turn, jumping the curb and Max clutched his arm.  
"Let's not kill ourselves getting there alright? It might not even be her."   
"If it's some kind of disturbance it's her," Alec said. "I have a feeling." He pointed the car towards the Palm Too. He knew it well, it was a nice place, 4 levels of club 3 levels of apartments. A non-stop party complete with all kinds of drugs and booze if you were into that kind of thing. And lots of wasted women. He was completely into that kind of thing which how he knew about it in the first place.   
  
  
Screams erupted from the crowd as she hit the ground, splinters of glass flying out around her, Goon Number 1 on top of her. She brought her knee up, glass digging painfully into her back. He grunted, and she brought it up again, connecting solidly with a crucial point on Transgenic Boy's anatomy. Even Transgenics had the same basic male weakness. She saw the other two Goon's on the balcony and she wasted no time scrambling up. She still had her bag and her hat, and she didn't realize she still had either as she pushed her way through the crowd, 2 of the 3 goons on her ass. Goon Number 1 rising to his feet ready to join them. It wasn't looking good. Her eyes scanned the room as she pushed her way through the people, all staring at her with wide eyes, not sure what was going on. Someone else screamed, and the goons were pushed angrily aside by pissed off dates. They were ignored. The target was her and they could care less about shovy pissed off dates. Somewhere in the 3rd level of the Plam Too a bartender placed a call to the police, but Gwen saw none of this. She merely saw her destination. The floor plan was simple. A bunch of open space for dancing, a long bar stretched one side, and in the middle, one on each side of the long floor was a large opening surrounded by cream railing that showed what was going on downstairs. Again, she didn't think, she grabbed onto the railing and swung herself over, hoping to God she didn't land on anyone below.  
  
  
Alec didn't bother to even park the car properly, he simply pulled up to the curb, ignoring the valet. Max followed him and they both made thier way through the door. Pausing only long enough for Alec to punch out the guard with one swift uppercut and then they made thier way inside. They knew she was here. They could both feel it in thier stomachs. They looked at each other for a second before stepping into the darkness and flashing lights of the club.   
  
Gwen didn't. She landed instead on a table, the startled occupants letting out shrieks of surprise. She ignored them and leapt off. Above the 3 goons followed her example and leapt down as well. They however weren't so lucky. Goon Number 1 managed to land on a great big hulking man, knocking the poor scmuck out instantly. But she didn't give a shit, she just ran. She turned her head for a moment to see Goon Number 2 reach into his jacket There was no where else for her to jump and the stairs were all the way on the other side of room, and there was no way she would make it into an elevator. She was trapped.   
  
"I don't see her." Max said scanning the room. Alec nodded towards the elevator.   
"We'll try the next floor." Max nodded and they pushed thier way through the crowd.  
  
Screams erupted as some girl spotted the gun Goon Number 2 took out from inside his suit jacket. Gwen wasted no time ducking down, crawling along the floor through the crowd, towards the bar. The only cover she could see in the entire room. They advanced, but slowly. They knew she was trapped and they didn't want to shoot any norms in the process of retrieving her. Actually they weren't supposed to shoot her either, but White had simply specified alive, not a little scratched. Gwen swallowed, not daring to look backwards as she pushed her way through the crowd.  
  
Max could hear the screams from through the thick steel doors of the elevator and she had a feeling that this was the floor Gwen was on. Alec gritted his teeth, banging on the door of the elevator. It wasn't opening. Not quick enough for him. Max grabbed his arm.  
"HURRY UP."  
"Chill." She snapped. "We'll get there." Then the shots rang out.  
  
The gun went off the minute she leapt up from her ducked position, doing a somersault in the air over the wooden countertop of the bar. Glass exploded somewhere, they had missed her and hit the mirror above the bar instead. Gwen landed on the other side of the wooden bar, glass digging into her leg. She ignored it.  
"GET DOWN." She grabbed the bartender, dragging him down as well. Another shot rang out, and then another. It barely missed her cheek, going through the wood and into the wall behind her. She scrambled away, pressing the bartender into the floor. Shit. Shit. Shit. She looked up then and saw it balanced on two hook under the counter, and almost blew a kiss to the heavens. A gun.   
  
The doors slid open with a pleasent ding and Alec rushed out. People were scattering everywhere. Someone had pulled the fire alarm and the strobing lights had stopped, turning a dull red, the stairway exits were flashing and a crowd of people were making thier way towards them eager to escape. Max saw them immediately and lifted her arm to point. Three of them, one holding a gun, the others fanning out reaching into thier jacket pockets. They were facing the bar, which was probably where they'd find Gwen. Alec wasted no time, he rushed forward.   
  
Gwen popped up then and Max felt her mouth open uselessly to make the girl get down, but then she saw the gun. Her eyes met Alec's across the room and they ducked, ignoring thier previous plan to take out White's men themself's. Gwen wasted no time, she fired. Striking the center man in the gut. His gun fell to the ground when he went to clutch his stomach in pain. As if in slow motion she turned calmly to the one on the right, and fired again, this time hitting him in the chest. He too went down and then she turned to the third one, firing again hitting this one dead on in the head. He of course went down as well, dead. Alec raced forward, bringing his arm down on the middle guy, knocking him unconcious in one calculated move and Max wasted no time reaching the last one. A kick here, a punch there and out he went.   
  
"Come on," Alec grabbed the girl's arm. The cops would be there any minute and he didn't really feel like giving an explanation. None would be good enough anyway. Gwen still miracuously had her bag and her hat, and although she was a little bruised, a little scraped and a little cut from all the glass she wasn't in any mortal danger. They didn't have any time to waste. She followed Alec without question, still a little dazed. She hadn't even thought about killing them, she had simply seen the gun and acted on instinct instilled in her years ago. Darwinism at it's most twisted. "Kill or be killed". Max and Alec simply led her to a balcony, identical to the one a floor above only not smashed. All three exchanged a look and leapt down to the ground below.   
  
There was no yelling, no lectures. Instead there was only silence the entire drive back to Alec's apartment. Max was exhausted, Gwen was exhausted, and Alec was too furious to say a word. Gwen knew what it was to fear, and she did. Those guys had meant buisness and for a few fleeting seconds she had figured that her time on this earth albiet brief was over for sure. She knew now why Alec was so insistent on her staying inside. Alec stopped the car, got out and went up to the apartment, not bothering to look and see if Max and Gwen followed. Max looked to the girl.  
"Are you alright.?" Gwen nodded, still a little shaky.  
"Those were White's men," she said. Max nodded.  
"Yeah."  
"They were transgenics." Max nodded again.  
"Yeah." The girl shook her head.   
"How did he find me?" Max didn't have an answer for her so she didn't bother. "I only went out for a few hours."   
"It was obviously enough." Max said. "You're important to him for some reason. You're valuable."  
"Then why would he want to kill me?" Max shrugged.  
"I can't tell you anything. I don't know the answers. But you got really lucky tonight Gwen," Max looked up to the window she knew to be Alec's. A light switched on. "I hate to say this but he was right." She looked back to the girl. "It's not safe for you with us." Max sighed. "White's not going to stop. Those guys were just the first wave. Whatever he wants from you he's not going to stop until he gets it. But we'll help you regardless." Gwen nodded, swallowing.  
"Thank you. For helping me. I'd thank him too but I don't think he wants to talk to me." Max shrugged giving her a small smile.  
"No big. It's what I do," she looked back up to the light. "As for Alec he'll be fine." And a little sadly she added. "He always is."  
  
TBC...(A little more action in this part but that ain't nothing compared to what this is going to turn into. Feedback is as always necessary.) 


	4. The Engima: Dance the Night Away

Title: The Enigma: Dance the Night Away  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: In an effort to keep Gwen safe Max and Alec have her stay with Joshua during the day. Pointless foof part.  
Author's Note: This part is just a setup piece. Not much action. Lots of Joshua though so it's not a total loss. And a little more A/M. Song is "Life" by E-Type. Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
Part Four  
  
  
"So he's a dog?" Gwen hoisted her bag up on her shoulder, looking at the house with uncertainty. "You want me to stay with a dog?"  
"He's not completely a dog," Max explained. "Just part of a dog." The girl nodded, seeming to understand.   
"Okay." She looked at Max. "And you want me to stay with him why?"  
"We need you to keep an eye on him." Which wasn't entirely true. Actually she was hoping it would be an equal opportunity watching. She had told Joshua to watch the girl and not let her leave the house the day before. She figured that if Josh watched Gwen and if Gwen watched Josh niether could get in trouble.  
"He has a tendency to get in trouble." Max said and pushed open the door.  
"So I'm like a babysitter," Gwen said. "Will I get paid for this?"  
"All the books you can read," Max stepped inside. "Josh has tons." Gwen nodded. The place was dark and musty, but quaint. It spelled of paint and sausage. Not completely unpleasent, but strange nonetheless.  
"Joshua?" Max called out. He came up from behind grabbing Gwen in a ferocious hug of hello, as was his way. She let out a shriek of surprise, fully prepared to attack, until she realized that it was the dog-boy Max had been referring too.  
"Hey big fella." Max smiled.  
"Little fella," Joshua looked at his new guest. "This the littler fella?" Max nodded.   
"Joshua this is Gwen." Joshua held out a furry hand, his eyes eager and open. Gwen couldn't help but smiling as she took his "paw" in her own gloved hand.  
"It's nice to meet you Joshua.."  
"You want food? I have food. TV dinners." He grabbed her arm.   
"You guys will be okay?" Max smiled. Joshua liked Gwen, and from the smile on Gwen's face she liked Joshua, just like everyone did once they got past his odd face and child-like deamnor. Joshua was utterly lovable.  
"Fine," Gwen said. "I'll keep a good eye on him." Joshua gave Max an obvious wink over the girls head as if a part of some great big secret.   
"You like books too?" Joshua was saying as Max closed the door. Gwen would be fine there. With Joshua to occupy her she would be entertained as well as protected. Pleased with her idea Max climbed onto her bike preparing to go to work.   
  
  
Alec looked up when she entered, sensing her precense. She gave him a small smile nodding. He returned the nod, shoving a package into his bag.   
"She liked him?"  
"Yeah. Like right off the bat. She found him completely adorable, I could tell." Max sat down. "You can thank me later."  
"I can, but I'm sure I won't," he was still furious with Gwen for the other night's events. He was perfectly justified in his anger. He had warned both Max and Gwen about letting Gwen leave the apartment yet niether had listened and as a result all three of them had been in danger. However Max DID have an excellent idea. Leaving Gwen to look after Joshua and be looked after by Joshua would keep her safe and occupied with something. It took a little of the worry away, still he found himself glancing back on his runs a little more often then before, and he still woke in the middle of the night to check on things around the apartment. Max glared at him, taking her own packages Normal had designated for the day and shoved them into her pack. He was such an asshole sometimes. "When are you going to get over this?" She snapped. "I told her she could go out once. And that was just to get books. It was a mistake, chill." Alec ignored her. A practiced gesture and Max just gave a little huff of exhasperation. Fine, if that's how he was going to be. She didn't care, she went to her bike. Really.   
  
  
Gwen giggled despite herself. Joshua was excellent he really was. Not only was he so adorable and clueless that you just wanted to hug him, he was also extremely smart despite his verbal capacity.   
"You will like this," he handed her another book, already the stack reached to her chin. "And this is very good."   
"Joshua! I think that's enough." He nodded.   
"You need more. You ask. Okay?" Gwen nodded. Joshua sniffed the air.  
"Something strange in Gwen's cocktail," he said and sniffed her again. She almost dropped the books.  
"Huh?"  
"Something strange in your cocktail," Joshua repeated again. Gwen raised an eyebrow confused.  
"Okay." Joshua frowned puzzled. How did he explain? He laid a hand on his chest. "Dog in Joshua's cocktail." He said. "Something strange in yours." Gwen's eyes widened in understanding.  
"I don't know what you're talking about Joshua," she looked away and Joshua shrugged.  
"Joshua's nose never wrong before. First time for everything. You hungry?" He asked for what seemed like the fifth time that day. Again Gwen shook her head, still visibly shaken.   
"You read then," he pushed her towards his chair. "You read. I paint you." Gwen smiled and nodded, relaxing a bit. His eagerness and cheerful demeanor were contagious.   
"Which one should I read first?" She looked at the stack of books. Joshua didn't hesitate. He selected one from the middle of the pile causing the rest to topple to the floor. He didn't seem to mind though. He simply held it up. Setting the rest of the books on the table she took it from him.  
"Oliver Twist." She nodded. "Okay." He motioned for her to take a seat, which she did, Joshua going to his easel and turning it so that it faced away from her. He didn't want her to see until he was done. The girl eyed him for a minute, opening the obviously ancient book to the first page.   
  
  
"He's so impossible," Max was saying. Logan looked up. "I mean she makes one mistake and he's condeming her for it. Gwen told me he hasn't spoken a single word to her since we got back. He hasn't even yelled at her."  
"Maybe he's just-" Max cut him off, continued on her rant.  
"Which I would prefer him do to me. All he's done is insult me or say something cold and mean to me since the other day! I didn't do anything. I HELPED him and he's mad a me like I had something to do with her leaving." Logan sighed, turning back to his computer. She was obviously in a zone, no matter how many times he tried to reach her he wasn't breaking through. It should concern him, but he was little too busy with pressing matters to listen to her Alec woes. There seemed to be new ones everyday, it was impossible to keep up. Max continued to pace the room. "I just don't get him you know? It's like he goes out of his way to piss me off." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I gotta get back to work. I'll see you later okay?" Logan nodded.  
"I might need you for something here soon. A new case." Max nodded pulling on her jacket.  
"You know my number. Lata."  
  
  
Bright vivid strokes, a slosh of paint there and Joshua was off again. She had given up trying to see what he was painting. Every time she made a move to see he pulled back on the easel, giving her a pleading look she couldn't refuse. It was a surprise. A welcome gift of sorts. Joshua seemed to like her, and since had adored Joshua from that first impromptu hug, it was something that made her feel kinda fuzzy. It was nice to be liked. Oliver Twist had been amazing, and a little close to home. Joshua had excellent taste in books it seemed. Most of them were old. She had managed to get through Little Women, Moby Dick, and of course Oliver in the 3 hours he had been slaving over the easel, his eyes darting up from it every few seconds to look at her. It was impossible to not like Joshua. Sure he may look a little weird but he was like a big giant walking, talking teddybear who gave hugs as greetings and offered you food every few minutes.   
  
"Joshua," she said after a moment. "What did you mean earlier. When you said "something weird in your cocktail"? What's weird?" Joshua looked up from his painting.   
"Wires." He said finally after a moment. "Wires in your cocktail." Gwen bit her lip.  
"Can you keep a secret buddy?" Joshua looked at her, and nodded.  
"Don't tell Max or Alec about the Wires in my cocktail okay?" Joshua nodded.  
"Our secret." He pointed from Gwen to himself and she nodded.  
"Our secret."   
  
  
Alec pulled up to Joshua's place, taking a deep breath. Anger still ebbed at his thoughts but it was fading now. Gwen was okay and that was all that mattered. White had no idea where Alec lived and now Gwen had something safe to occupy her time. He would thank Max later, he owed her that at least. It had taken a day or so but he was getting over it. Alec exited the car, not bothering to lock the door.  
"Josh?" He opened the door to Joshua's place. "Gwen." Joshua appeared, giving Alec one of his patented bear hugs. Gwen appeared behind him smiling.  
"Have a good time?" He asked her, trying to breath. She smiled wider and nodded.  
"Me and Gwen buddies," Joshua draped an arm over Gwen's shoulder. "When's the wedding?" Alec joked, but Joshua didn't get it and Gwen just glared.   
"What did you guys do all day?" Alec asked shoving his hands into his pockets.   
"Gwen likes books," Joshua said. "She read Joshua's books. Joshua painted Gwen." He pulled Alec over to the easel he wouldn't allow Gwen to see. He pointed to it proudly. "Gwen." Alec raised an eyebrow looking at the mess of colors.  
"Good...job?" He said and Joshua beamed. "Looks just like her." Gwen tried to edge her way towards the easel to catch a glimpse but Joshua yanked it away.  
"Not yet." He said shaking a finger at her. Gwen sighed.  
"He won't let me look at it," she sighed. Alec leaned down, whispering out of the corner of his mouth.  
"You're not missing much." Joshua picked up his brush again.  
"I'll see your tomorrow okay Joshua?" Joshua nodded, concentrating on the painting.  
"Tomorrow Buddy." Gwen smiled at him. Alec motioned her to follow him.  
"Later Joshua."  
"Goodbye Alec." The pair left Joshua to his painting.  
  
"Is he ignoring me?" Max asked Original Cindy for the 3rd time. "He's ignoring ME?"  
"I think he's just having a drink at the bar boo," Original Cindy said. "But yeah, he might be ignoring you."   
"This is ridiculous, I haven't done anything."  
"He'll come around," Original Cindy turned to look at Gwen who was, as had become her habit, kicking it with at least 3 males to the techno music that pumped over the speakers. "How's your girl?" Original Cindy asked. "No more trouble?" Max shook her head.  
"She stayed with Joshua today. They really hit it off," Original Cindy smiled.  
"How could they not? Joshua's a sweety." Max nodded.  
"He watches her, she watches him. It's the perfect arrangement. Niether of them gets in trouble." Original Cindy took a sip of her drink.  
"It would be even better if Commander Gorgeous was talking to you right?" Max rolled her eyes.  
"I could really care less."  
"Ahh, so that's why you've been glancing at the boy all night long and you've talked about NOTHING else?" Original Cindy raised an eyebrow, but Max just scowled draining her cup.  
"You're delusional."  
  
  
"Okay Joshua," Gwen said the next day smiling at him. She lifted up the portable CD player, complete with batteries and the small collection of CD's she had purchased before coming over and brought with her from Craig's. "I'm going to introduce you to music and dance."  
"Instruments." Joshua nodded. Gwen smiled.  
"Yeah, and singing." She set the CD player on the table and held up a CD. "This is E-Type. He's a....a European singer." Joshua looked at the disc.   
"That is not a person." He said finally and she laughed. "No, but the a person's voice is on it. You understand?" Joshua didn't seem to but he gave her a nod anyway, forcing her to continue. The picture he had been painting earlier was nowhere to be seen, the easel was empty and the paints had been cleaned up. Disappointed as she was she decided to let it go. Joshua would show her when he was ready.   
"Okay, I like my music kind of loud so if it hurts your ears tell me okay?" She popped the CD into the CD-Player and pressed play, turning the volume up. In a manner of seconds music began to pump out. Joshua cocked his head. He had heard music before of course, lots of times. But this was different. Happier, more cheerful. He watched Gwen as she moved to the music singing along with the words. She held out her hands and Joshua took them.  
"We're going to dance now," she said over the music. "Do you want to learn how to dance?" Joshua nodded and Gwen smiled. "Okay." She reached over, changing the song to something a bit faster. "First we'll learn fast dance. It's easier in my opinion." She took his hands in hers. "Just do what I do okay?" Joshua nodded.  
  
"I've got life"  
Gwen was singing along with thewords and he could make out her voice from the music. It was pleasent and soothing and as the music picked up in tempo she began to move his hands, dancing on her own and encouraging him to follow. "One more time I leave behind just burning bridges it's a crime I am here there must be somewhere I can breathe now take me there"  
  
His attempts were clumsy and amusing but she didn't laugh. She didn't want Joshua to think she was laughing at him. Besides he looked like he was beginning to enjoy it. His intial confusion about the point of the dancing was fading and he was actually getting into it. He wasn't any good at it however but at least he was having fun not being any good. "it's time to see I wanna make you breathe That life can be me whatever what you want it to be you need the key I'm gonna make you see no more make believe you just go"  
  
A grin split across his big face and Joshua's movements increased in frequency and urgency. Gwen let out a laugh and he followed in kind. She was singing along loudly completely absorbed in the music and she too was dancing a bit faster to the beat. Joshua was keeping up admirably. He didn't know the words but it didn't stop him from having a blast trying to make the vocal sounds. "I've got life you're always on my mind you gotta believe in something, alright forever by your side I've got life just give me time to find whatever it is, it will be alright forever by your side I've got life" Gwen gave the bigger creature a little spin and he laughed again, more a bark really but she knew a laugh when she heard one. He was catching on, he was singing the chrous along with her.  
  
"We're gonna live forever don't let this be whatever I'm gonna make you believe in something, 'cause we're gonna live forever if you never say never we're gonna make it alright"  
  
He couldn't make out some of the faster parts but he knew the chorus by heart. She grinned as he belted out the words. So he wasn't going to join a choir or anything, but he was loving every bit of it with unaffected enthusiasm. "I've got life you're always on my mind you gotta believe in something alright forever by your side I've got life just give me time to find whatever it is it will be alright forever by your side I've got life"  
  
The song ended and Joshua frowned sadly. Gwen patted his head turning off the CD Player. "That's enough for today Big Fella." She reached for her bag. "But I'm going to leave the CD Player and my CD's here so you can listen to the music when I'm not here." Joshua grinned happily. "I brought you something else too." Joshua gave her a swift hug.  
"Present for me?" Gwen nodded.  
"Yeah big guy," she handed him a book, one of the ones she had finished reading. "I'll bring you a new one every day, I have tons at my apartment."  
"You have house too?" He said and Gwen nodded.   
"I live in the same house as Alec."  
"Will I see one day?" Gwen nodded.  
"Sure ya will."  
"Is there music at Alec's?" and Gwen nodded again.   
"I have lots of CD's there, lots of books and CD's." Joshua grabbed her hand, forgetting for a second Max's warning about the outside world. Forgetting his promise to keep Gwen at the house. Too caught up was he in his excitment over new books, over more dancing.  
"We go see? Now?" Gwen shifted unneasily.  
"That might not be such a good idea Joshua," but he turned those pleading eyes on her again and Gwen let out a sigh.   
"Okay, but we're going to have to hide that face, you know how people can be," Joshua nodded. "People fear what they don't understand." He said solemnly and Gwen nodded sadly.   
"Yeah they do, which is why you have to keep my secret okay Joshua?" And Joshua nodded.  
"I tell you what, I'll get you something for your face and we'll go to Alec's apartment real quick. We'll get you some books and some more CD's and we'll come back here and have some lunch. That sound like a plan Buddy?" "Good plan, Buddy."  
  
  
"Okay, this has got to stop," Max breezed into Alec's apartment. He opened one eye, lunch break nap over aparently.  
"What has got to stop?" Alec groaned. "Go away."   
"You ignoring me" Max snappped. "That's what. You don't ignore ME I ignore you."  
"Then you better get busy with that," Alec said. "I'm trying to sleep."  
"You don't have to sleep."  
"But I want to."  
"Screw what you want." Alec sat up.  
"That's the general idea." Max sighed exhasperated.  
"You've been acting like a supreme ass in a very different way then usual and I want to know why."   
"Why?" Alec swung his legs around, standing up to face her. "Why?"   
"Why." Max nodded. Alec took a step towards her, mere inches from her.  
"In the past week I've had my life turned UPSIDE down by a rebellious teenage girl with a psycho trasngenic murderer on her ass and I've had to deal with YOU telling this same rebellious teenage girl that what I say doesn't matter!"  
"I said she could go to a bookstore! Hardly a crime! How was I supposed to know she'd leave after that? Again Alec, she's not a prisoner here."   
"We've both seen what leaving the apartment does. You want to see again?"  
"Yeah. I do. If it means she's not going to be cooped up here with Captain Asshole!" They glared at each other for a moment, the tension thickening in the room. Toe to toe they stood, minutes away from drawing guns and firing.   
"I've been thinking of getting her a gun," Alec said finally. Max stepped back, surprised at his change of tact.  
"A gun?" As a rule they didn't carry guns, she hadn't at least, and she had never seen one on Alec. X5's were trained to use them but not partial to carrying them.  
"Yeah. You know, pull the trigger, bullets fire? Or did you leave before Manticore taught that little lesson?" Max glared at him.  
"So you won't let her go to a bookstore but you'll let her carry a weapon."  
"We've both seen that she can handle the weapon, but not the bookstore." He had her there. Max shrugged.  
"Fine. Your in charge of her." She turned to go but Alec's hand on her arm stopped her. She turned her head, eyes locking with his.  
"I kind of feel like..." Alec started. "I mean...your just as much in charge of her." He said finally.   
"So you want me to share your responsibilty?" Max turned full force now, crossing her arms over her chest.   
"That's not what I said," Alec glared at her. "And you know it."  
"Actually Alec, I don't know anything of the sort," she stared at him amused. "Explain it too me."  
"Well I mean...she's just as much MY problem as yours now. You involved yourself. You saved her life too the other night."  
"So you're saying you want me to help you decide if getting her a gun is the best thing?" Alec looked at the ground, uncomfortable.  
"I guess you could say that..." he said finally. Max smiled.  
"So, one could say your admitting you were wrong when you yelled at me for making a decision regarding her before. Because this whole time you've decided that it's okay if I share the responsibilty." Again Alec shifted.  
"I one were so inclined."   
"Fine." Max said. "Get her the gun. BUT, make it a small one." She turned to go. "It's kind of like we have a kid now. Ya know, making decisions. Giving her a gun." It was a whole new round of uncomfortable.  
"Kind of a messed up parenting technique. Most parents hide the gun not hand it to the kid." Max smiled.  
"Guess that proves where we're from." She left the apartment, Alec's eyes on her back.  
  
TBC...(Not much in the way of...well anything, but we're getting there I promise. I have the general story line worked out all the way to part 10 and it's goood) 


	5. The Enigma: Queen of Hearts

Title: The Enigma: Queen of Hearts  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: An out of control poker game lands Max and Alec in deep trouble and Gwen is there to save the day for once.   
Author's Note: This is going to be a very LOONG fic. Many element comes into play. But I assure you it will be a very good fic. Scouts honor. Feedback NEEDED.  
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
Part 5  
  
The metal was hard against her back, it was so cold and, the lights burned her eyes, and through the pain she saw nothing but shadows. Her hands were burning. Consumed in flames, on fire with the pain and above her a figure hovered, moving back and forth amid the red and black.   
"She's almost ready." The voices were muddled, almost incoherent and somewhere far away she felt herself groan as another spasm of pain wracked her body.  
"How much longer?" "Almost there now, a few days I think." Another blinding flash of white as something seared her flesh. She was dimly aware of something in her mouth, metal and bitter, and she couldn't move. She didn't dare try. Not again, not after the agony of times before.   
"Good. We're behind schedule as it is." The shadow bobbed and her eyes fell closed as she lost conciousness, giving into the darkness that beckoned.  
  
  
Gwen shot up in the small twin bed, her sheets tangled around her legs, sweat causing her hair to cling to her face. Her breath was shallow and came in quick jerky gasps. She closed her eyes, falling back onto the pillow. This was why she didn't sleep. She rubbed a gloved hand across her face and kicked away the covers. She needed a drink, something nice and strong. Then the dreams wouldn't come. Then she could finally have peace.   
  
"I'm just asking you to consider it," Max's voice was low and harsh, Gwen leaned towards the partly open door, straining to ear. Eavesdropping wasn't a formidble skill but it was a necessary one.   
"I did consider it. No."  
"We need her," Max snapped. "We can't take that many guys alone."  
"What if White's involved somehow? I mean how much does Logan really know about this guy?"  
"Enough to trust him," Max was pleading, practically begging. "Eyes Only needs us to do this Alec. And we can't do it without Gwen." Gwen's ears perked up, she brushed a strand of sweaty hair from her forehead, leaning forward even farther, pressing her eye to the door she could make out thier heads on the couch.   
"Then tell him we can't do it." Alec's voice was firm. Whatever they needed her for he obviously didn't want her to do it.  
"You'll make alot of money," Max knew exactly how to play him. Gwen saw the back of Alec's head go up a little further.   
"How much?"  
"Whatever you win, plus two thousand each for our trouble," Max sighed. "Logan needs this money Alec. He need's this guys support, and if this guy is dead then Logan can't have it." Max leaned towards him. "It's just a poker game. What could possibly happen?"  
"Something huge if this guy requires the three of us to guard his ass," Alec leaned back in his seat. "I don't like this."   
"I know," Max's voice was soft. "But I can't just let Eyes Only go under. We need this guys financial backing for it to continue. The S1W needs it too." Max sighed. "From what I understand it's 4 buisnessmen who are pissed that this Glenmoore guy keeps winning. They're convinced he's cheating."  
"Is he?" Max shook her head.  
"He's some kind of poker prodigy. He's just really good."  
"And he wants us to guard him?" Max nodded.  
"Aparently these 4 guys bring an entourage. Around 12 big guys with guns, and Glenmoore has never believed in personal protection before."  
"That's pretty stupid of him."  
"He's putting up alot of money for Eyes Onlys services," Max sighed. "Please?"  
"We'll run it by Gwen in the morning." Alec said. Gwen took that as her cue. She opened the door.  
"Why not run it by me now?" She crossed the room towards the two startled X5's.   
"It's not polite to eavesdrop," Alec snapped. Gwen smiled sweetly.  
"It's not polite to talk about people behind thier back." She sat down, crossing her legs clad in brightly colored pajama bottoms. "So, what are we discussing?" She leaned forward, all innocence and eager curiosity. Max raised an eyebrow.  
"You always where your gloves to bed?" Gwen looked down at her hands.  
"It was cold," she looked back. "Don't change the subject. What's going on?" Max sighed.  
"One of Logan's contributors is in some trouble and he needs Eyes Only to protect him."   
"And you want me to help?" Gwen nodded. "Okay."  
"Wait," Alec waved a hand. "You haven't even heard the mission."   
"What's to hear? It has to do with poker, money, and brute force. All things I excel at." She stood up to get the drink she had wanted. "What more could a girl need?" "You excel at poker?" Max raised her eyebrow again. "Didn't really think Manticore emphasized that particular skill." Gwen shrugged.  
"It's a probability game. I have my ways," she poured a little wine into a glass. She needed a nightcap if she ever hoped to get a decent nights sleep. Alec nodded.  
"There is some danger involved."  
"You forget Alec I'm just as trained as you are," She took a sip. "Probably more so. Plus I have my gun."  
"Which you won't get to bring inside if Logan's rundown was correct."  
"What was his runndown?"  
"We get to act like hussies for the night in skimpy clothes, charm the pants off a couple of greasy casino pit bosses while Alec and Ian try to win all thier money." Gwen shrugged.  
"I don't need a gun," she took another sip of her drink. "I'm doing it." Alec threw up his hands.  
"Fine. If you get killed I'm absolved of all guilt. It goes to Max," he stood up. "I'm going to take a shower."   
"Thanks Alec!" Gwen was all chipper feelings and giddyness. She sipped her wine. "When do we start." Max stood up.  
"Logan wants us to meet at his apartment tomorrow night for a briefing. He's going to take us to the warehouse so we can see what we're working with. The game is Friday." Gwen nodded.  
"I'll be there."  
  
  
The man was in a word, beautiful. With deep bright eyes a yellowish hazel, and rich brown hair that was held in short adorable spikes by a generous helping of gel. He was all hard planes and angles from the strong curve of his jaw to the thin muscular body encased in designer clothes. Gwen glared at him. She didn't trust him, his grin was too easy, his eyes too predatory. He spoke in a smooth clipped English accent, too charming to be up to any good. No, she didn't trust him at all. He held out a hand to her and she looked at it for a moment before placing her own gloved hand in it. He brought it to his lips, kissing the back.  
"Charmed," he smiled at her and Gwen looked pleadingly to Alec who held up his hands. She had gotten herself into this.   
"And this must be Max," Ian gave Max's hand the same treatment, and both Logan and Alec looked ready to jump him. Figured. Still, there was something about this boy that made her stomach twist uneasily, some foreign feeling that she didn't like a bit. He motioned to Logan's couch.  
"Shall we sit? I'd be more then happy to fill you lot in," he sighed. "There's quite a bit to know actually."  
"I thought this was supposed to be simple." Alec's eyes snapped to Logan's, who shrugged.  
"In theory mate, but things are never as they appear," Ian's eyes seemed to bore right into Gwen when he said this, and she shifted uncomfortable. Maybe it was guilt, or maybe he knew something he shouldn't. She couldn't very well ask. "You lot should know better then anything." Gwen sank onto the couch, Max beside her. Alec decided to remain standing, crossing his arms over his chest to glare at the man. He didn't appear to trust this Ian Glenmoore anymore then Gwen did.   
"As I'm sure Logan told you we'll be playing with four other men." He sighed. "All prominent buisnessmen, and very powerful." He looked at the three of them. "They all usually carry about 4 bodyguards each, but I wouldn't expect more then 13 or 14 at Friday's game, probably less. They trust that I won't hurt them, they just don't trust that I won't cheat them."  
"Are you?" Gwen looked at him, and found herself trapped in those hazel eyes, they were glaring at her underlying acusation.   
"No."   
"Well, then what do you have to worry about?" She countnered.  
"My associates seem to think that being able to win goes hand in hand with being able to cheat," Ian shrugged. "I've always had an uncanny ability to call someone's bluff, I can sense thier reactions. It helps me to win, but I don't cheat."   
"So you think these guys are going to rough you up at Friday's game?" Max asked, and Ian nodded.  
"I'm positive they've planned it. An inside source that works for Rat, he's one of the blokes, told me as much last time we came in contact. They're not exactly the best of sports." He snorted. "But then American's rarely are." Logan and Alec bristled in American manly pride at that. This guy wasn't making any fast friends.   
"So what can we do?" Max asked, ignoring the glares they were shooting at Ian. She was all buisness and no one was going to push her off track.  
"Well with two lovely females there I'm sure they'd want to avoid conflict at all costs. And your boy there will divert some of the blame."   
"What?" Alec's head snapped up.  
"I expect you to win, and win good." Ian said smoothly. "You'll keep all the winnings o' course, and I'll play badly enough so that they'll realize that when someone better comes along I can lose just as easily."  
"And how do you propose I do that?"   
"I'll help you," Gwen spoke up. "I'm an excellent poker player." One of Ian's eyebrows went up.   
"Are you now?" Amused, as if humoring a child he smiled at her. She glared.  
"I'm quite certain I'm much better then you are Mr. Receptive." The glares were mutual now, and Alec almost snorted.  
"Can we just stop this?" Max glared at all of them. "We have a job to do, and we can't get it done if everyone acts like five year olds."   
"Okay." was the phrase heard round the table.  
"So what's the exact plan," Max said. "In full."   
"Simply put. You," he pointed to Max. "Will act as my date, to make me seem a little less threatening. Your boyfriend 'ere-" he motioned to Alec, "Will be a diversion. And the little firecracker will help 'em win a few rounds to take some of the heat off me." He shrugged. "If they get a lil outta hand you fight 'em off and get me the hell outta there." He adjusted his suit. "I can't be all scruffed up for work on Monday."  
"Fine." Gwen stood up. "Friday then?" Ian nodded.  
"8 o'clock. Try to be on time love." She glared, stalking from the room.   
"See you at 8." Alec followed her, and Max followed him giving Ian an apologetic smile.   
  
  
  
She was sin in a skirt. That was the thought flitting through Alec's mind when the girl entered the room. She was delicious in bright scarlett, her lips painted with gloss, her eyes dark and seductive. The tone set off the deep dark of her skin, and Alec felt his groin tighten as those eyes locked with his. She was gorgeous. He swallowed, tearing his eyes from Max to Gwen, who was adorable in something resembling a Catholic school girl uniform with a black pleated skirt, knee high boots and a white bell-sleeved blouse, with her cute little furlined gloves. She grinned at him, taking his arm.  
"Well sugar let's get ourselves to this shin-dig," Alec nodded, his eyes going right back to Max despite his attempts to move them away. He licked his lips unconciously.  
"You ladies look lovely," Ian smiled at the two, taking Max's arm in his own. "They'll be waiting." He looked to Max. "Shall we go?" Alec felt the cold stab of jealousy shoot through his gut and he almost took a step forward, but the weight of Gwen's arm on his own held him back. "Wait about 15 minutes before you show up okay mate? Won't be suspicous." Alec nodded jerkily. "This should be fun," Gwen was saying, her cheeks tinted red. She was actually getting into this, perhaps it had been good for her after all.  
"We'll see you there," Max said and Alec nodded jerkily once more. This was going to be a long night.  
  
  
The four men surrounding the table were typical mobsters. Dressed in immaculate Armani suits, pinstriped with shiney shoes they just screamed "Mafia". They sat relaxed, slouched in thier fold out chairs, the soft rolls of thier bellies covering the belts of all but 1. Behind them stood 8 beefy men crew-cutted men dressed in slightly more slovenly suits, looking intimidating. Not exactly the kind of men Alec wanted to tango with at present. Ian, Max firmly planted half on his lap, half on a chair to his left, introduced each one. The first three were identical with black wavy hair and clean-shaven faces. Larry, Sam, and Colin, they were the three musketeers of the mob world. The skinney one was Rat, who resembled his nickname perfectly with beady black eyes and a long pointed nose. He glared at Alec, his eyes raking Gwen's figure. Alec pulled her closer to him, as if to protect her. He offered a wave when Ian made his introductin.  
"Have a seat mate," Ian was saying, pointing to two chairs on the other sided of the table. Alec's eyes locked with Max's. After a moment she looked way, finding a sudden interest in the deck of cards on the table in front of Ian. Alec took in the room, as was a soldiers way. He had been trained from birth to study a room and find out everything about it. Possible entrances, exits, breaches in security. Gwen was doing the same thing, unconciously. The only way in was through the heavy steel door he had just entered through, unless one counted the long line of windows that circled the cieling. A single light hung down, casting the room in shadow. There was no furniture save for the long fold out table, complete with two decks of cards, several bottles and glasses of high price alcohol, and a thing of poker chips, and the chairs they all sat in. He pulled Gwen into a seat, and she complied, looking for all the world like a complacent show piece. Arm candy. Ian picked up the cards, one eyebrow raised.  
"Now that everyone's 'ere how about we play a little poker?"  
  
  
Gwen leaned over, her smile making her look like she was whispering some sweet nothing into his ear. Her hand rubbed his thigh and her eyes were partially closed. Bedroom eyes. Max had been pacing the room, back and forth, around and arouund for the better part of two hours. On recon it seemed, checking to see how much of a fighting force these guys were. She figured each carried one gun apiece, nothing more but still dangerous.   
"Raise, the only one who had anything remotely threatening is Larry." Alec smiled at her.  
"Later sweety," he turned back to his cards. Gwen pretended to pout.  
"This is so completely boring," Gwen was saying. "I thought you said we were going to have some fun tonight." Alec ignored her, tossing his chips into the pile.  
"I know who you are," Sam was saying. Gwen looked up startled.  
"Huh?" Max slid into her seat eyes on Alec, just as startled as Gwen.  
"I've seen you somewheres before," he had folded awhile back and was busy nursing his whiskey while he waited for the next game to start.  
"I don't think we've-" Larry cut her off.  
"She does look familiar don't you think so Colin?" Larry looked to Colin who looked up briefly from his cards and nodded. Gwen tried to keep herself from panicking. We're these some of White's lackies? Was she going to give the whole game away. Alec's eyes locked with Max's, they were wide and startled. He shook his head, trying to tell her not to worry about.  
"She's a stripper," Rat said disinterested, tossing his chips into the pile. "Among other things." Relieved Gwen fluttered her hands.  
"Oh that! You boy's come to the club often?" They shook thier heads, though it was obvious they did. All eyes were on her, save Alec and Max's.   
"Nice place Craig had," Rat offered. "Too bad about him." Gwen sniffed a little.  
"I don't like to talk about it." She waved her hand as if it was just too much for her poor ditzy heart to take. Alec had to give it to the girl, she could act. Alec put his cards down, followed by Rat, then Colin, then Ian. Alec had again won, straight flush. Gwen looked at the cards.  
"We lost?" She fiegned confusion. And Alec shook his head patiently.   
"No we won," he pointed to the cards. "It's called a straight flush." Gwen shrugged.   
"Good thing you aren't paying her for her brains," Larry snorted. Alec glared a the man, two seconds away from snapping his neck.  
"You've lost every game!" Max was saying to Ian in loud whispers. "You promised me we'd go somewhere nice after this!"  
"Of course we will love," Ian was doing a good job of looking distressed. He rubbed Max's neck reassuringly and Alec turned his glare to Ian, deciding it wasn't Larry's neck that was in danger.   
"Let's take a little break," Rat said pushing his cards to the middle. Ian nodded.  
"Perhaps that would be best," he leaned back in his seat. "We've been playing for awhile now." And Alec had done a good job of winning. He had won almost every game, thanks entirely to Gwen. She WAS excellent at poker. It was uncanny. She had somehow managed to know exactly what everyone had and what he should do about it. The girl was a prodigy. He smiled greedily at his large pile of chips.  
  
The four men pushed away from the table, grabbing thier drinks as they made thier way out the steel doors towards the warehouse. Gwen followed them with her eyes worried. Ian however could have cared less.  
"Buisness meeting," heexplained softly, he sipped his drink. "Congratulations mate." Alec shrugged.  
"She's a good luck charm," he motioned to Gwen who shrugged.   
"I'm just good with the probabilities."  
"In your head?" She shrugged again, looking away. Beyond the door they spoke in hushed tones and strained voices and Max desperately wanted to know what they were saying. This didn't bode well for the night if they were having a "buisness meeting" in the middle of the game. What if Ian's plan didn't work. What if they didn't place the blame on Alec?  
"You're doing fine," Ian placed his hand on her neck again. Alec continued to glare.  
"They're not even in the room." Max warned him with her eyes but he ignored her. Ian was in turn ignoring him. Gwen stood.   
"Where are you going?" Max sat up straight, on alert.  
"Too check on our boys," she smiled. "With a little stripper charm." She flounced out before Max or Alec could react. Alec bent his head, rubbing his eyes.  
"This was a bad idea." He murmured.   
  
"Which part?" Alec looked up startled. There stood Rat, flanked by the other three. They all glared at him. "Cheating us out of our money or using your girl there to do it," they motioned to Max who sat up confused.   
"What? I don't even know who-" Rat raised a hand.  
"You guys I was just-" Larry turned, shoving Gwen, who had just showed up out the door. Startled she hit the concrete hard, sliding backward. She bolted up towards the door but Colin shut it easily behind her.   
"Don't play dumb with us," Rat glared. "We know exactly what's going on."  
"What about her?" Alec stood going towards the door. Colin held his arm out.  
"We don't have an issue with the girl," he glared at the boy. "We know why you hired her." Alec backed away, seeing out of the corner of his eye the tensing of thier little entourage. He would have to tread carefully from now on.  
"Why is that?" Alec asked. "Other then her obvious job skills?" "It would have worked too. Too bad your such a dead giveaway," Rat reached into his coat, drawing his own gun. Alec sat in the chair.   
"I don't understand," Max said. Rat rolled his eyes.  
"Tie them up." He motioned to the three of them.  
"Now mate's wait just a minute."  
"Shutup," Larry glared at Ian. "You brought him here."  
"Thinking he could cheat us outta our money," Colin was saying, reaching into his pocket to draw out a small roll of electrical tape. "What were you going to do give him half kid?" Colin wrench Alec's hands back. Behind the door Gwen pounded, banging with her fists her feet, whatever was handy. She was ignored however.  
"You got it all wrong-" Max started as Larry moved in with his own roll of tape. "He's not apart of this."  
"Your little boyfriend and you got quite the communication system down honey," Rat smiled ludely at her. "Almost had me fooled."   
  
  
TBC...(Bad place to leave off, but this was going to get way too long. Part Seven will be very Max/Alec centric and parts will be NC-17) 


	6. The Engima: Twice Struck

Title: The Enigma: Twice Struck  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: When Max goes into heat Gwen options Alec to help out on a personal mission, thinking three X-5's are better then two. How wrong she is...The heat thing is cliché' sure, but necessary.  
Author's Note: This part is very rushed for some reason. It's not all that good, I'll probably end up revising it later. Mild sex in this part, nothing too graphic. What I think I'm trying to say is should I continue? Review! They're my only form of compensation. The only reason I write.  
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
  
Gwen stared at the door in disbelief. She had been locked out. Something was extremely off and she knew exactly what it was. Sighing she turned, she would scope things out first, get a feel for what was going down. And then she would kick a little mob guy ass. She exited the warehouse through the large garage door, used at one time for a big eighteen wheeler. This wasn't exactly the best kick butt outfit but the skirt allowed for maneuverability and that was all that mattered anyway. She leapt up, her palm slapping against smooth concrete and hoisted herself easily up. She could see the row of windows from the room and she quickly made her way across the roof. She didn't know how much time they had before they mob guys went a little gun happy so she would have to hurry. She had no one to call for reinforcements save Logan and he wouldn't be of much use. What was he going to do run over them? She leapt again, landing easily on the higher roof. She made her way towards the windows and pressed her face against the glass. Not good at all. Max, Alec and the English guy were restrained with something black, and from what she could tell everyone of the idiots had some kind of weapon. One lone X5 against thirteen armed henchmen. The odds weren't in her favor.  
"We saw the way you two were looking at each other," Colin snapped, securing the last binding. "All that eye talk. You were telling him what kind of cards we had." He reared his hand back as if to slap a wide-eyed Max who was shaking her head in protest. Larry stopped him.  
"Don't mess her face up," he leered at Max. "Want her pretty for later."  
"You almost had us fooled Ian. Trying to play it off as if you were the big loser." Rat hunched down, grabbing Alec's chin with his fingers. Blue burned into weasly black eyes. "Almost had me fooled." He pushed Alec's face away.   
"No worries," Rat said. "We'll deal with all of your accordingly." He too leered at Max. "Specially you sweetheart." Max wrinkled her nose, the tape pulling at her lips. This was going all so wrong. Ian however was slumped in his chair, calm as a cucumber, his eyes calculating. As if he didn't have a care in the world.  
"You know what we do to guys who fuck us over?" Sam was saying. He cocked his weapon, aiming it right between Alec's eyes and mouthed the word "Pow". "That's what we do to guys who fuck us over."   
  
  
Gwen brushed off her skirt. She needed a plan, a course of action. She almost burst out laughing when she saw the large gray metal box against the wall. That would do for a plan. She sauntered over to it, prying it open with her nails. It was hell on her manicure but she hadn't thought it was going to last that long anyway. A circuit breaker, old school style. Grinning she reached up, flicking the master switch.  
  
  
The room was pitched in black, which wasn't a problem for Max or Alec. But it sent the 13 goons into a frenzy. A chorus of "What the hells" floating around the room. Alec would have smiled if the tape would have allowed him.   
"MITCHEL!" Rat yelled. "Go see what the hell is going on." A man, a great big hulking figure, took a fumbling step forward, his arm and gun outstretched. The dim light from the moon wasn't enough to give these idiots any idea about their surroundings. Max almost laughed as he tripped, about falling flat on his face, but he was moving in the right direction. His arms outstretched he touched the cool metal of the door, and moved down, running his hands over it's length to find the deadbolt. It took him a few minutes but he finally found it, turning it the other way, and then he slid his hands down. Max tensed as did Alec, it was only a matter of minutes before Gwen would make her move, they could feel it.  
  
Predictable. Gwen shook her head smiling as the man lumbered out, trying to see in the dim light. She pressed herself against the wall as he turned, his outstretched arm almost smacking her in the face. She ducked and shot out a fist, straight for his gut. Surprised he dropped his gun where it clattered on the ground. He grunted doubling over and Gwen wasted no time picking up the weapon and using it on it's owner. His nose crunched and blood dripped down his face, she could see it even in the darkness. She lashed out again as he cried out, the butt of the gun striking him square across the head. She tucked the gun into the skirt as best she could and moved toward the door. Either they were really deaf or they were too confused to pay much attention to the cries of their comrade. Either way she had to move fast before they all started coming out the door. She slipped inside.  
  
Alec saw Gwen's figure enter the room, pressing against the wall, a smile on her face. He almost grinned as she crawled between the legs of an unsuspecting man towards Max. She gave Max a thumbs up and shimmied around her.  
"Corey, go help Mitchell." Rat was ordering, not moving for fear he would bump into something or someone. Gwen's fingers worked at the tape, wishing she had a knife. It was slow work and Max's skin was searing by the time she had finished but who was she to complain? Gwen first freed Max's feet, then her hands and Max used the opportunity to rip the tape from her mouth. It stung like a bitch. Gwen pointed to Alec and Max nodded. Gwen moved to Ian. Max reached around Alec, she couldn't get behind him because a big lug was standing there but this was just as effective. He squirmed a little as her arms wrapped around him, her hands working against the tape. His eyes locked with hers and Max swallowed. She continued to work, finally freeing his hands and then moved to his feet just as Gwen freed Ian, her mouth pressed to his ear, no doubt whispering instructions. Out of the corner of his eye Alec saw Ian nod and slowly stand. Gwen grabbed his hand leading him stealthily to the door.  
"WHERE THE FUCK DID THOSE TWO GO?" Rat hissed. Alec ripped the tape off his mouth just as Max finished freeing him. They wasted no time following Gwen and Ian. Max turned for a moment, slamming the door behind her. Gwen, still clutching the pretty much blind Ian's hand, she raced them out to the cars. Max and Alec hot on her heels. They heard the shouting of curses and orders behind them. Alec leapt into the car, just as Ian and Gwen hopped into Ian's. Max jumped in just as he started it.   
In the other car, Ian fumbled with the keys.  
"HURRY UP." Gwen saw the stumbling figures of the goons pouring out from the building. She heard Alec's engine catch and saw him and Max speed towards the road, kicking up dirt and debris behind them. "GO!"  
"I'M TRYING." Ian yelled back. A shot rang out, and glass shattered.  
"TRY HARDER" He finally found the key.  
"If you would just shutup!" He pressed the clutch down, turning the key. The engine caught and then stalled.  
  
  
"She's not following." Max turned in her seat worried. "Where are they?"  
"They're coming." Alec snapped, twisting the wheel sharply.  
"Then where are they?"  
"They're coming!" Alec yelled bringing the car to a stop. "Give them a minute."   
  
"Are you completely incompetent?" Gwen shouted, another shot rang out and she and Ian ducked. He started the car again.  
"SHUT UP." The car lurched forward, but didn't stall. He sped forward. Cycling through the gears with record speed. The car shook but didn't stop and sped into the night, shots following them.  
"You're an idiot."  
"And you're a pushy bitch." He glared at her.  
"A pushy bitch who just saved your ass if you recall."  
"Should I be thanking you?"  
"You should be paying me."  
"Well you see love," Ian glared at her. "The deal was you get two thousand each."  
"Plus what we won."  
"Yeah, but sweetheart, you just left all your winnings back there."  
"YOU BASTARD!" He jerked the wheel, making a turn sharply.  
"Told you they're coming," Alec said smugly, he put the car in gear again. Max let out a sigh as the car sped past.   
  
  
"That complete asshole!" Gwen was fuming, tossing her bag roughly onto the bed. Alec fell onto the couch, rubbing a hand across his face.  
"He was right Gwen." Max said. "We left all the winnings. You can't expect him to compensate us."  
"I can too! We saved that dick's life!"  
"That was our job." Max said.  
"He should have paid us," Alec agreed.  
"Not much we can do about it now," Gwen said in discuss glaring at Max. "You just let him go."  
"He gave us our money."  
"Not all of it." "Enough." Max turned to go. "Not everything's about money."   
"Yeah, it's about saving live's for free, ya know risking your own to save thiers," Alec said sarcastically, looking to Gwen who rolled her eyes.  
"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Max sighed. "Good job tonight Gwen. Thank you.   
"I can't believe this," Gwen muttered going to her room.   
"Bye." Alec ran a hand through his hair again. "See you around Max."   
  
  
A Week Later...  
  
  
Gwen was freaking out. Seriously freaking out. She looked into the tiny metal box, taking a mental inventory for the fifth time today. Three left. Only three, and she knew she would be needing all of them pretty soon. And her usual guy was nowhere to be found. She swallowed, and closed the box. Stuffing it into her messenger back she swallowed again. It was going to be all right, someone had to know where he was. He couldn't just disappear. Unless he was dead. That happened a lot to these guys. Turning, the music and her annoyance giving her a killer headache, one she refused to attribute with anything else she made her way to the bar.  
"Hey," she leaned over it, catching the eye of the tender. He winked at her and held up one finger, the universal sign for hang on. Sighing, she waited until he finally moseyed over.  
"What can I get ya darlin?" She pointed towards the stair case.  
"That guy, who used to um...hang out over there. Where'd he go?" The bartender got wide-eyed for a moment, he cleared his throat.  
"Why do you, um, why do you want to know?" He had lowered his voice, leaning closer.  
"I need...something from him." She leaned in closer. "Do you have any information on him?"  
"Word is he got sloppy," The bartender, nametag read Chuck, was practically in her ear. "His boss decided he didn't need to be on the ah, workforce anymore." Gwen pulled back, understanding dawning.   
"Oh." Shit shit shit. She swallowed for what felt like the one hundredth time that day. "Do you um know of anyone else who might sell that particular product?" Chuck shrugged.   
"Anyone else who worked for his boss would probably carry the same stuff," he leaned in again. "What exactly are you looking for?" He eyed her. "You don't look like his usual customers."  
"Nevermind that," she waved her hands. "Who did he work for?" Chuck leaned in closer.  
"Word is it was Benito Garcia," it was Gwen's turn to widen her eyes. Benito Garcia was a big businessman, the kind you didn't really want to mess with overmuch.   
"Oh." Chuck nodded in understanding.  
"Hope you didn't need that stuff too bad, I wouldn't go looking to Benito Garcia for it."  
"Noted."  
  
  
"Whatcha doin?" Gwen jumped a mile, the metal box almost flying from her hands.  
"NOTHING," she whirled, glaring at Max. "Don't scare me like that." She shoved the box into her bag.  
"Sorry," Max shrugged. "Haven't seen you around all day. Joshua said on the phone you didn't show?"  
"I had an errand to run," Gwen shouldered the bag. "Um, listen I was wondering if Logan would mind me using his computer for something?"  
"Yeah sure, we can ask. What do you need it for?" Gwen shrugged nonchalantly.  
"I was thinking of getting a hobby," she shrugged. "I figured there's no better place to look for an interesting one then a computer." Max nodded.  
"Understandable," she pointed up to Logan's apartment. "I guess you were coming to ask him yourself?" Gwen nodded.  
"Good to see you're warming up to him," Max chained her bike to a streetlamp. "Alec know your here?" Gwen shook her head. She wrinkled her nose, something was off.  
"Is anything up with you?" Gwen asked. "You seem...different." Max shook her head confused.   
"Not that I know of, why?"  
"I don't know you just seem..." Gwen waved her hand. "Nevermind. I'm sure it's nothing." Max shrugged.  
"Come on, we'll go see about Logan's machine."  
  
  
"So what are you looking for exactly?" Logan asked, wheeling away from the computer and motioning for her to grab a chair. Gwen shrugged picking it up and bringing it over to set in front of the machine.  
"I'll know when I see it," she poised her hands over the keyboard, looking a little unsure. Logan just pointed to the little box where a cursor was blinking. "Just type in whatever you want there and it should pull up a list of information. Just go through the list." Gwen nodded.   
2"Um...I'm a little uncomfortable with you guys hovering like this," she looked back to Max and Logan.  
"Sure, we'll just go fix ourselves some food," Max motioned for Logan to follow her to the kitchen. Gwen made sure they left, and began her work. Never once touching the keyboard, her eyes darting across the screen as information flicked by.   
  
A hand snaked it's way down her thigh, hot against her skin. She moaned, raising her hips off the bed. It moved up, up, and Max bit her lip in anticipation. So close. This night had gone so perfectly. So goddamn good. She writhed in frustration as the hand completely skipped the part she needed it at the most and trailed little circles across her tummy with his fingers.  
"Alec..." Max moaned in frustration. Her eyes popped open. Alec? Max bolted up, breath shallow. Sometime during the night she had kicked off her blankets, now tangled in a sweaty mess of sheets. She ran a hand through damp hair, over her face. Shit.  
  
  
Gwen took in a breath, and decided to just go for it. She could do this. She raised a handand rapped sharply on the door.  
"Comin!" Original Cindy shouted and then the door was open. "Gwen! Hey girl, come in," Original Cindy stepped aside, smiling big. "You never come by, what's up?"  
"Um, I wanted to talk to Max actually, just a little issue that's come up." Original Cindy nodded understanding.  
"She's taking another cold shower, like her fifth one today, you know how it is."  
"Her fifth...cold shower." Gwen's eyes widened. "That's what I sensed yesterday!" She nodded. "Of course, Max's going through her cycle." Original Cindy nodded.  
"Bingo. She's rearing and ready to go. Like all the time lately," Original Cindy pointed to a chair. "Take a seat chica. She should be out in a minute to do her pushups." Gwen nodded, eyes still wide. This wasn't going to be good at all.   
"Shower's free, and there's still PLENTY of hot water left," Max even looked on edge. Her eyes were darker then usual, her skin tinted a light blue, Gwen suspect she had set her water on icy. She did a double take seeing Gwen on the sofa, and looked to Cindy who shrugged. There was no doubt about it. Max was in heat.  
"Hey Gwen, what's up?" Max fell to all fours, and then immediately started her push-ups.  
"Yeah um, I kind of need your help with something..." Gwen said. "And you probably won't agree, but Alec said it was fine." At the mention of Alec Max faltered and almost toppled over mid pushup.  
"Alec?"  
"Yeah, I ran it by him first. He said he wants to do it just as much as I do." Max's eyes widened in desire and jealousy.   
"Do what?"   
"Well see when I was on Logan's computer yesterday, I came across something really interesting about your friend White." Gwen shrugged. "I know I said I was looking for a hobby but the truth is I kinda lied. I was just looking for information." Max resumed her pushups.  
"And?"  
"And he's connected with this guy I know, Benito Garcia. Former client, who also keeps superb records about all his affiliations. So I was thinking we could go to Garcia's house and get a look at his computer."  
"And Alec," Max almost choked at the mention of his name. "Is okay with this?" Gwen nodded.  
"He seems to think finding White before he finds me is the best course of action, and Garcia isn't known for his security procautions so he figures this would be the best and most thorough way."   
"So you want me and...Alec...to go get this guys information?"  
"Well I'll be there too." Gwen said slowly.   
"Absolutely not." Angrily Gwen glared at the girl who was well into her 50th pushup.   
"That's ridiculous! I just saved your asses not a week ago and your telling me I can't get information that *I* wanted in the first place?" Gwen crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides. I have to be there."  
"Why?" Max stood up, grabbing a towel from the back of the couch.  
"To watch you and Alec." Max dropped the towel.  
"Wha...What?" Max stare at her.   
"He's not going to take this well," Gwen motioned to Max. "And someone has to make sure you guys don't rip each other's clothes off."  
"Why would he um," Max faltered. "Why would he rip my clothes off again?" Images flickered through Max's eyes and she licked her lips.   
"The pheromones, duh," Gwen sighed. "The thing is I kind of need both of you for this.   
"Right..." Max licked her lips again. "When?"  
"Tonight. As soon as possible." Gwen picked up her bag. "Don't worry about it." She saw Max's eyes widen. "I'll do my best to keep you guys in check." She sighed. "I just really need this information. It'll make me feel better ya know?" Max nodded. "And word is Benito is outta town on business. He's coming back tomorrow afternoon so tonight is our only opportunity to get the info." Max nodded again, her mind on other things. Alec naked. Alec moving on top of her. She licked her lips again. "I need to shower." She bolted for the bathroom and Gwen sighed. This was not going to be good at all.  
  
  
Alec couldn't breath. He couldn't think. His eyes drank her in, raked over her body. God that body. He swallowed. He should have known damnit. He should have refused Gwen. But she had looked so hopeful standing there, begging him to help her. All she wanted was information. Answers. The same thing they all wanted, he could understand that. Not right now though. Now he couldn't form two words into a sentence. He swallowed again, raking a hand through his hair.   
"Damnit," Gwen sighed. Max was licking her lips two seconds away from jumping Alec who was in much the same state. Gwen didn't even lower her eyes to his crotch. She knew what would be there and it was an icky thought. Gross. She sighed again, picking at her cat-suit, given to her courtesy of Max. It was uncomfortable, but practical. Alec was rubbing his hands against the legs of his own black pants, a black button down shirt to match, not taking his eyes off Max. The tension in the air was thick, and Gwen felt uncomfortable. Like she was intruding on something. Max was in heat, and Alec was just a poor tom-cat who had caught the scent.   
"Hey," Max's voice was low, husky, erotic and Gwen rolled her eyes. Alec swallowed for what seemed like the hundredth time.   
"Hi." His voice too had taken on a sexual quality and Gwen cursed the thought that had made this seem like a good plan.   
"I like your shirt," Max whispered, her hand reaching out, touching Alec's chest, rubbing against the fabric. Her fingers dancing across the buttons. He uttered something that sounded like a growl and Gwen groaned.  
"Stop it!" She hissed. "We have work to do." She snatched Max's hand away. "Work now. You two can play later." Max raised an eyebrow. Play, she licked her lips again, Alec's eyes watching her every movement. He felt primal, his gut twisting in some carnal need. It was equal parts desire and the need to rip Gwen to shreds for standing between them. For daring to let this need go unmet.   
"No! WORK! Max," Gwen pointed. "Patrol the perimeter that way. If you see any one take them out. There shouldn't be too many. He doesn't have much in the way of security. Alec you take that way." She pointed to the head pieces each of them wore. "If anyone enters the house call me on these okay?" They nodded, eyes still locked with each other. "GO. Concentrate." Max started one way, Alec started another, practically giving themselves whiplash from keeping their heads turned. Gwen waited until they had both turned the corner of the large house and sighed. She was in this alone it seemed. They were so wrapped up in their sexual needs they hadn't even noticed she was the one doing all the work. Which was fine with her. She hoisted her bag up, and closed her eyes concentrating. The security system would be a breeze. Why did she always have to deal with the horny people?  
  
[Mild sex ahead kiddies. Nothing too graphic. OR very well written for that matter]  
  
Max waited for 10 seconds, counting them off in her head, secretly skipping a few numbers. She had to get to him. She turned abruptly. Crashing right into his chest.   
"Max," his voice rasped and then his lips were on hers. Fireworks exploded in her brain and a heat simmered in her belly, little tendrils of flame licking at her ribcage. Her palm splayed across his cheek as their tongues dueled for control.   
"Max," he rasped again, and caught her lips in another kiss. She mewed into his mouth, plunging her hands deep into his hair, drawing him closer. She couldn't get him close enough. She couldn't get enough of him. His kisses were like water and she was dying of thirst. His hands were at her waist, snaking high to her breasts, caressing them through the thin fabric of her catsuit and Max groaned into his mouth. Her hands snaked up his shirt, pressing against his abs.   
"Alec," she whispered.  
"Yes." His voice was an invitation to so much more.   
"How often do your work out?" his lips hovered above her neck, nipping at her ear before moving back down. The question was irrational, stupid really, but it was what she was thinking.  
"All the time." Max moaned, tilting her head back.  
"I bet you're..." she gasped "...real flexible."  
"The odds are in your favor on that one sweetheart." Her hand snaked further up his shirt, nails burshing his nipples before moving back down against him.  
"You're so smooth...so strong." she kissed him softly, her eyes locking with his. "I've always been attracted to you, Alec."  
"Ditto." He kissed her back, his lips brushing hers, teeth tugging on her bottom lip before pulling away completely. His eyes locked with hers again.  
"We should probably do something about that attraction."  
"As soon as possible." He nodded, ducking his head so his lips captured hers in a heated kiss.   
"Here?" She whispered and he nodded. He couldn't wait for it to be anywhere else. She nodded too, her hands fumbling for the zipper.   
"What about-" he gasped, Max's lips against his neck. "-protection?" Max reached a shaking hand into the pouch on her utility belt. "Right here." He nodded and their lips met again.   
  
  
She licked and nibbled her way down his chest, he leaned back against the stone wall of the house, gasping in surprise as her teeth grased his nipple. He was dreaming. He knew he was. He'd had this dream before. Not exactly like this but similar. Her hands pushed aside the restraining cloth of his shirt, freeing his upperbody. It was entirely too hot for clothes. The shadows of the building would afford them some privacy. Her hands gently made their way down his arms. He kissed her cheek, her collar bone and moved to her neck.  
"Maxie." He whispered, her hands sliding up back up his arms to his chest. They moved down, her nails raking his nipples, down the curves of his abs. Lower still. He gasped against her throat as she grabbed him. Taking his full length into the palms of her hands, pushing his pants lower still with her thumbs.   
"Alec," she answered, titling her head back to give him better access to her neck. She was going to have on hell of a hickey but she didn't care. She only felt. She felt cool air on her flesh as his hand brought the zipper down. She continued to stroke, his own clothes handing off his legs. Her hands moved up and down the length of him. He groaned, rocking against her gently, continuing to pull the zipper futher down. He kissed her collar bone, and moved lower still, freeing a breast from the confines of her black lace bra. He took it in his mouth and it was Max's turn to gasp. She murmured sweet nothings into his ear spurning him forward. He turned them, still locked in thier heated embrace, slamming her hard against the brick of the building.  
"NOW Alec," she couldn't take it anymore. She wanted him to much. She was slick with desire, her head light and airy. God she needed him so much. He wasted no time tearing open the gold package she had handed him, but instead of waiting for him to put it on she took it in her own hands, freeing him from the confines of his boxers.  
"You're so beautiful," he murmured into her hair. She smiled.  
"I could say the same for you," she rolled it on, pausing only to kiss him. And then he was inside. She enveloped him, tight and slick, heated and delicious. He groaned her name and she gasped his.  
"Alec. Now." He turned her so her back was pressed against the cool stone. She met him thrust for thrust, cry for cry, a coil of something unfamiliar forming in the pit of her stomach. She didn't care about the brick scraping her bare back, he didn't mind that her nails were drawing blood, thier little half moons imprinted on his back. He only felt, only needed. They writhed and gasped each others names in the night.   
  
Both too heady with desire and need to notice the man opening the sliding glass doors of the house, and going inside.  
  
[Thus endeth the sex]  
  
Gwen's eyes darted across the computer screen. It wasn't helpful. It told her nothing. She needed to know WHERE it was. Not who had sent it to him. The fact that he kept such information on his tiny laptop, unguarded and virtually child's play to get to told Gwen exactly the kind of person Benito Garcia was. Shrewd, confident, arrogant, and so convince of his own power he felt no need to hide incriminating evidence.   
"Where would it be?" She lifted up a picture frame, one after another, getting nothing but wall paper. No safe, no hidden wall unit. Hewasn't craig. Frantic, she took them all. There was no safe behind any of them. She check each of the drawers of his office. No personal stash.  
"What is it you're looking for exactly?" She whirled, dropping the frame of what she decided was a particular expensive painting. It hit the hard wood of the floor and shattered, the splintered glass falling across her boots. There was Benito Garcia, leaning again the doorframe, amused with one eyebrow raised. She could kill Max and Alec. Frantically she searched her head, and settled on the truth.  
"You had a dealer," She said calmly. "At The Cess Pit. Word is you had him killed?"  
"So you came to exact revenge?" He crossed the room. Tsking in disapproval at the paintings, his eyes falling to the glass on the floor. "You're that girl from the club." Gwen nodded.  
"He used to sell me something. Now that he's gone I need a new place to find it."  
"So you thought you'd steal it from me, is that it?" He picked up a painting, rehanging it on the wall.  
"That was the plan." Gwen cursed the day she had put Max and Alec in charge of anything.  
"You could have just asked you know," he looked towards the small gray box on his wall. "How'd you disable the security system?" Gwen shrugged.  
"I have a way with them it seems. Call it a gift." He was being entirely too calm about this. Just more proof of his arrogance. He nodded.  
"I'm not going to kill you," he straightened another painting. "If you wanted something all you needed to do was ask."  
"You're not going to kill me?" He shook his head.  
"Not many customers anymore, killing you wouldn't be profitable," he smiled. "But you are going to do me a favor."  
"A favor." He nodded. "What kind of favor?"  
"If you could get past my security systems you can get past others, no?" She nodded.  
"Perfect!" He smiled. "Have a seat sweetheart." Gwen was confused, confused and angry, and well...just plain confused when it came right down to it. So she did the only thing she could. She sat. "I'll give you what you want if you do a little job for me."  
  
TBC...(This part was really bad. But don't hesitate to tell me just how bad it was! Read and Review!) 


	7. The Enigma: Consider this a Sign

Title: The Enigma: Consider This A Sign  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://maxnalec.proboards6.com/  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: Joshua lets Gwen's secret spill by accident when he fears her to be in danger, and White gets one step closer to finding her.  
Author's Note: Dude. I'm begging ya. Read and Review! Repeat. Oh yeah! Want all M/A fic all the time? Go to http://maxnalec.proboards6.com/ my Max N Alec board!  
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
  
"I thought you were watching the perimeter!" Gwen glared at the two red transgenics, hoisting her bag higher on her shoulder. They shrugged sheepishly.  
"I was." Max said softly. "Sorta."  
"Me too." They looked away from each other, thier hands itching to touch, to feel again.   
"I could have been killed!" Gwen was saying, stalking towards Alec car.   
"We're sorry." Alec tried again, but Gwen was having none of it. Her thoughts were on other things. Such as the three vials in her metal box and the brand spankin new cell phone tucked deep in her bag. She wondered exactly what Benito Garcia's "favor" entailed, but she stopped after a few moments. The possibilites were endless, not to mention a bit creepy.   
"Just take me home," Gwen said, eyes already trained out the window. Alec climbed into the car, his eyes catching Max's. A promise hidden deep in thier depths. This night wasn't over. Not by a long shot.   
  
  
He didn't even bother to knock. Simply charged into the apartment. She was waiting, as he had assumed she would, pacing back and forth for what seemed like hours. They embraced immediately. Wasting no time.  
"What took you so damn long?"  
"I almost hit someone with the car," his lips locked with her. She pulled away, her eyes serious.  
"Next time just run 'em over."  
  
  
  
She awoke to his warmth, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist from behind, his lips pressing against her shoulder. She smiled and snuggled deeper into Alec's chest. Her eyes popped open. Alec's? Shit. She bolted up, jolting the unsuspecting boy awake. She scrambled away.  
"Shit!" She had dragged the blankets with her, falling with a thump to the floor leaving Alec exposed to the world. She looked away, keeping her eyes anywhere but...there. Alec groaned, rubbing his eyes.  
"What the hell?" His eyes popped open as the same realization that had hit her just seconds before hit him. Smacking him in the face. His quick Manticore reflexes had the pillow beneath him covering his lap in a flash.  
"WHAT THE HELL?" He repeated with more fervor. Max stood up, wrapping the blankets around her like some ancient tribal robe.  
"I could ask YOU the same question!" Her voice was at least an octave higher then normal.  
"ME? You think I had something to do with this?" He glared at her, rising to his knees on her bed, the pillow clamped firmly to his midsection. The pillow she used to sleep on. She groaned.  
"Oh my god." She almost sank to her knees again, but thier pending nakedness and the situation in front of them.  
"You." She motioned to him. "And Me..." She moaned again, clutching the blanket tighter. "Oh my god." Her thoughts flashed back to the previous night. It had been a phrase repeated many times last night.  
"It was the pheromones," Alec was saying to himself. "Just the pheremones." He reached for his clothing, realized that his pillow could only hide so much and then straightened. "Look Max. Could you just..." she turned a deep shade of red and whirled.   
"I can't believe I..." Max was saying. Alec went for his turtleneck.  
"We'll just forget about," he reached for his pants, completely ignoring the fact that his boxers and one of his socks were nowhere to be found. "It never happend."  
"Never happened. Right." Max nodded, clutching the blanket even tigher. "It was the pheromones."  
"We weren't in control there," Alec was trying to jerk his boot on.  
"Of course not! We didn't have control over anything!" Max rambled. Alec didn't bother to lace them.  
"We'll just forget about it." He rushed past her, turning once, and pausing, his hazel eyes locking with her brown.  
"Right." She said softly. "Just forget."  
  
  
Alec was tense and jumpy, shifting gears with all the grace of a three hundred pound gorilla attempting ballet. Gwen eyed him, but said nothing. She wasn't speaking to him, or Max, since last night's little debaucle. How had both of them missed seeing Garica enter the house? They were both good soldiers and there was no reason in the world why something so obvious should escape them. Unless...she looked at Alec, and then shook her head. No way. Not Max and Alec. Never in a million years.   
  
"Hey Big Fella," Gwen let herself be enveloped in one of Joshua's eager hugs. He grinned at her.  
"More music?" Gwen nodded.  
"Yeah sure buddy," she plopped her messenger bag onto the table, ignoring Alec completely. He looked around the room.  
"You'll be okay with her Josh?" Joshua nodded, more interested in the CD Gwen was taking out then Alec's concerns. "Okay then...I'll be back later today to pick her up." Joshua nodded again, taking the shiney metal disk delicately between two fingers. He placed it into the CD player just like Gwen had taught him, and pressed the triangle button. He waited a few seconds and the joyous strains of techno pop flowed into the room. Instantly the big hulking figure began to bebop to the music and Alec had to supress a laugh. Gwen however acted as if it was perfectly natural to see a part dog, part human trangenic dancing and singing along to music. Alec shook his head, wondering what the hell was going on and wandered out of the room. Gwen would be fine at Joshua's.   
  
  
  
Curled up in the great big arm chair, a book balanced between the fingers of one hand, a glass of lemonade in the other, Gwen was perfectly content. Joshua had broken his paints out once more, bobbing back and forth to the music as he painted. It seemed his newest "Joshua" painting was a tribute to music. She smiled, and stretched languidly. She enjoyed days like this. She turned the page, sipped her lemonade. Perfect.   
  
Her perfection was shattered minutes later by the insistent chirp of her new cellphone. Joshua startled, somehow managed to fling paint backwards onto the wall.  
"It's okay Josh," she scrambled for her bag. "It's just this." She held up the small gray phone. "I'll be right back okay Joshua?" Joshua nodded, eyes squinting at her, wary of the phone. She disappeared into the kitchen, flipping the phone open.   
"WHAT?" She hissed into the reciever.  
"Now we both know that's no way to answer the phone," Garicia. His voice was soft and friendly, like they were old aquantices.   
"What do you want?" "I have a job for you," in an instant his voice went from best buddy to all buisness. "Now."  
"Now?" She could almost see him nodding as he said "Yes now."   
"It's not really a good time now Bennie I mean..." he cut her off.  
"Now." She sighed.   
"Okay. Let me get a pen and you can give me the instructions."  
  
  
"Joshua sweety," Joshua looked up from his easel at the girl. She had shrugged into her coat, placed her cap on her head and slung her messenger bag over her shoulder. She was leaving. "I have to go run an errand for Alec okay?" Joshua nodded, confused.  
"I'll be back soon okay?" He nodded again.   
"Max said you're not supposed to leave." He reminded her.  
"Max won't mind if it's for Alec, right?" Joshua thought about this for a minute and then nodded again.  
"I'll be back before you know it."   
  
It was dark when Alec returned. He smiled at Joshua, who just looked at him confused. Alec looked around.  
"Where's Gwen?" Joshua continued to stare at Alec.  
"She run errand for Alec." Alec furrowed his brow.  
"Um, no. She didn't run any errand for me Buddy."  
"She say, "Have to go run errand for Alec. Will be back soon. Okay?"" Joshua looked more confused then ever. Alec shook his head.  
"I'm telling ya Josh she wasn't running an errand for me." Joshua shrugged.  
"Gwen gone." "Did she tell you where she was going?" Joshua sighed, as if it was all too much.  
"She running errand for Alec!" It was Alec's turn to sigh.  
"But did she say what KIND of errand it was. Or where?" Joshua shook his head. Alec cursed.  
"Gwen in trouble?" Alec pulled out his cellphone.  
"Knowing her? Yes." He whipped out his cellphone, not thinking as he dialed the number he knew by heart. "Let's just hope it's not too much."  
  
  
She tugged her jacket tighter around her, breath visible in the cold air of the night. He stood as Benito had said, under a streetlamp, the light casting his skin in a greenish alien glow.  
"You must be Gwen," his accent was Brooklyn, and he smelled of new car. "I'm Ramsey." He jutted out a hand, the nails bitten and dirty, and she shook it warily.   
"Yeah I'm Gwen." She tucked a stray hand of hair behind her ear. "Do you have the stuff?" He nodded, handing her a small altoid box. "There's 4 in there. You got the disk?" She nodded, taking the small purple cartridge out of her pocket. They traded. She opened the box, counting four vials of the precious liquid, running her hands over them. "He said if you ever need him, his numbers in the phone. If he ever needs you he'll call ya. That stuff is going to cost you." Gwen nodded.  
"I figured." She sighed. "What else does he need me to do tonight?" The man handed her a slip of paper. "Go to this address. There should be a main office, you'll know it when you see it. Get all the files on the harddrive and bring them back here at midnight." Gwen took the paper, looked at it for a moment and then stuffed it in her pocket.  
"Remember," Ramsey was saying. "If you need him the numbers in your phone."  
"I won't need him for a little bit." The guy scoffed.  
"Keep telling your self that honey." He turned, stuffing the disk into his pocket, he looked to the box she was sticking in her own bag.. "That stuff'll kill ya."   
  
At her side the familiar sound of her pager snapped her out of her daydream. She looked to Logan, who sat on the other side of his couch, completely absorbed in the movie. Knowing who else it would be she dreaded to answer. She wasn't ready to face him yet. It was hard enough to be here, so near the man she was supposed to love, when just hours before she had made love to a man she shouldn't be. She swallowed, her hand reaching down and unclipping the device from her belt. It was him alright.  
"Can I use your phone? Alec emergancy," she almost choked on his name. Logan noticed, he raised an eyebrow and pointed to the phone.   
"Something wrong between you guys?" Max shook her head, quickly. Too quickly. She turned before he could say anything else, going to the phone. She dialed with trembling fingers, hoping her face wouldn't give her away.   
"Max?" God the sound of her name on his lips was enough to make any girl drop the phone. But Max wasn't any girl, so she held steady.  
"Yeah it's me." Her voice was soft, uncertain.  
"Get over to Joshua's now. It's Gwen." She nodded. "Right. I'll be there soon." She pressed the button on the phone. "Gotta jet."   
"What did Alec want?"  
"Something up with Gwen." Logan's eyes burned into her.   
"Is there something you're not telling me?" Max shook her head, shrugging into her jacket.  
"Of course not. I'll see you later," and then she was gone.  
  
Gwen looked at the large sprawling mansion in front of her. Protected on all sides by thick black iron fencing, the intricate work of the iron not detracting from the fact that it was meant to keep out. At the gate two large stone pillars rose high, the swinging iron gates locked by computer. She set her bag in the bushes, extracting a pink disk this time, stuffing it into the pocket of her jeans. In and out. It wouldn't be hard. She'd simply take out anyone who got in her way. She took her gun out of the bag, stuffing it into the jeans as well, at the waist. Simple right? In and out.   
  
"Okay I'm here," Max breezed into Joshua's place. Trying to look for all the world like she was unaffected by his precense. She could remember everything about last night. The strength of those arms, the caress of those lips. She tore her gaze away and looked at Joshua. "What's up with Gwen?"   
"She's gone," Alec fell into the chair. "She told Joshua she had to run an errand for me and she just left."  
"You think White has her?" Joshua looked up startled.  
"White want Gwen?" Max nodded.  
"He's very interested in Gwen Josh." Joshua looked troubled, his gaze going to the floor.   
"Maybe it isn't that big of a deal," Alec said. "Maybe she just wanted to get out of here." "But what happened after she left? Why isn't she back yet?" Max looked to Joshua.   
"When did she leave?" Joshua shrugged.  
"Long time ago." His brow was furrowed, and he was making small grunting noises in the back of his throat.  
"Joshua? What is it? Max took a step towards him.  
"Why does White want Gwen?" He asked looking up. Max shook her head.  
"I don't know Big Fella. We haven't figured it out yet."  
"He would hurt her?" Alec nodded, not bothering to lie to him.  
"Yes. Most likely."  
"Then we must find her," Joshua bolted for the door. "Before he finds the wires." Alec looked up. And Joshua stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide.  
"What wires?" Max looked around. "I don't see any wires Joshua."  
"Secret," Joshua shook his head. "Joshua promised."  
"Joshua promised who?" Alec stood up. Joshua shook his head again.  
"We must find Gwen." Joshua went for the door again, but Max's hand on his arm stopped him.  
"Joshua, you know something." Joshua shook his head.  
"Joshua know nothing." He shook his head again. "Nothing about Gwen, that for sure." Alec crossed the room.  
"Joshua what is this secret? What wires?" Alec stared at the hulking man. "It might help us find Gwen."   
"Gwen might be in trouble, Joshua. We need to know everything you know." Joshua looked dejected, his eyes on the floor. He didn't want to betray his friend. But if it could save her life...  
"Wires." Joshua repeated. "Wire's in Gwen's cocktail."  
  
The doors swung open easily, and she sauntered through, her eyes scanning the area for any guards. Seeing none she continued forward, her eyes landing on the trellis, vines creeping up the sided of the building towards an open balcony. Perfect. She made her way across the lawn, towards the white lattice-work and twisting vines. She didn't want to enter through the front door. It took all the fun outta this. She reached up, grasping the latticework and praying it would hold her. She climbed, slowly one by one up the little diamond shaped holes that made up the trellis, towards the balcony. It held her weight but barely. She was lucky she didn't weigh any more then she did. She leapt off, grasping onto the iron work of the balcony, dangling for a moment before pulling herself up. The toe of her boot wedged inbetween the bars and she swung one leg over, then the other. Checking her weapon and the disk to make sure all were present she made her way to the sliding glass doors at the other end of the balcony. Whoever lived here was home perhaps, nearly every light was on, but she sensed no movement in side, heard nothing. She tilted her head to peer into the room on the other side of the glass doors. Nothing and no one, simply a lone hot tub, turned off. She checked the door, and was surprised to find it unlocked. Sliding it back just a little she slipped inside. No sound came from any of the adjoining rooms, no pitter patter of servants feet. For all appearances the house was empty save the lights shining brightly. She slipped from room to room. Not one held a computer, or gave the appearance of an office. They were all immacuately decorated bedrooms, or bathrooms. There was a small upstairs kitchen, a rec room with a pool table, and a wet bar. Whoever lived here lived in style. She paused, listening for sounds from the downstairs. Hearing none she slowly made her way down the steps. Of course they didn't creak, not even a bit. Not when the owner was shelling out a cool million. They twisted around and around, until finally giving way to the cold black marble of the foyer, large oak doors lead to the outside, stained glass windows on either side. She turned to the right, seeing nothing more then a large open living room to the left, and a few other rooms. The first was the kitchen, large and clinical it had enough ovens to start a fullscale four star resurant. She moved through easily, to the dining room, a long table with matching chairs and several plants were the only decor. Bingo. The final room was the office she was looking for. It was large and airy, an entire wall of windows made it seem more open, a beautiful view of a private lake behind it. The large desk was easily the biggest piece of furniture in the room, a very nice piece of computer equipment in the center, surrounded by other high tech devices and several papers. There was a bookshelf, easily a thousand volumes of various text on it, and a swiveling chair behind the desk. She sat down, a smile playing on her lips as she took the disk out of her pocket and slid it into the drive. She didn't touch the keyboad. Information flashed onto the screen, and the process had begun. She opened a drawer, then another. Nothing more then a few papers of little interest and a candy bar. The guy who owned this house and desk was probably huge. At least 300 pounds. She swirled in the chair as she waited, her eyes looking out across the lake before making a full circle again. Nice. There was the beeping of hardware as the downloading process finished and she turned, pressing a finger to the drive to eject the disk.  
"Fancy seeing you here," Gwen looked up startled at the familiar voice, brown eyes locking with hazel. She had been caught.  
  
"What do you mean?" Max said. "Wire's in her cocktail?" Joshua shook his head, he genuinely didn't know.  
"Joshua smell wires, like computer." Alec's eyes widened.   
"Gwen's a machine?" He looked to Max, who was, just as bewildered as he. "Like that guy Zack?"  
"Wouldn't we have seen her implants? I know skin grew to cover up Zacks but we should have seen something." The two locked eyes, the same question passing between them.   
  
"The girl is working for you?" White raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really..." The man nodded.  
"For a price." He smiled. "She requires the Bezanthydrine." White nodded.  
"Most of them do." He looked to the man.  
"What are you having her do?"  
"Data Collection. Small things." He smiled. "I'll turn her over to you. For a price." White shook his head.   
"I'm afraid I have no money to spare on your little investment Benito," he stood. "But thank you for telling me where I can get the information in the future."  
"Not a problem Ames. You know we go way back." White nodded, his smile a little sad.  
"And that's why it hurts me to do this." He lifted his gun, training it right between Benito's eyes. "The number Garcia. What is the number?" Benito's eyes went wide.   
"The number? What number?"  
"For the phone you twit. The phone you gave her." Benito pointed to the desk.   
"There, there, on the top." Keeping the gun trained on Benito White made his way over to the desk, looking at the digits. He picked the paper up, nodding with inerest. "Perfect. Thank you for your cooperation." The gun fired, and one more victim slumped across a desk. White calmly folded the paper, sticking it into the inside pocket of his suit. "Goodbye old friend."  
  
TBC...(FEEDBACK) 


	8. The Enigma: Substances

Title: The Enigma: Substances to Be Abused  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: Alec and Max have been avoiding each other since the heat debacle but when Gwen begins acting strangely they have to push past the awkwardness and find out what's wrong with their friend.  
Author's Note: This will probably be my last part for a little bit. I'm in the process of moving to Florida and my computer will be shutdown Thursday I think so I won't have a way to post anything. So as a result, this part is a bit longer then the others to compensate. It's a very pivotal part. If I work fast I MIGHT be able to get part 9 out. I'm really looking forward to what I have in store for this fic. But no promises.   
Please let me come back to a bunch of cheerful reviews. Speaking of reviews:  
Thanks to everyone who took the time to review me thus far. And thanks to everyone at the board. I love all you guys!  
http://maxnalec.proboards6.com   
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
  
"'Ello again," Ian Glenmoore stood there, arms folded over his chest, a smirk playing on full lips. Gwen glared at him. This was just her luck.  
"This is your house?" Ian nodded slowly.  
"Last time I checked...yes." Gwen sighed. It figured.  
"Nice place," she shoved the disk into her pocket, checking to make sure her gun was reachable. "Really. But I've overstayed my welcome so I'll just..." Ian took a step toward her, just as she kicked the chair backwards, shattering the glass that had afforded him such a spectacular view. Well, he'd be one step closer to it now, that was for sure. He yelled something in protest, diving for her. Gwen jumped over bushes, his fingers snagging for a brief second on her shirt. There was the tearing of fabric, but it was a small price to pay for freedom. Ian was nowhere near fast enough to grab her. He slipped and fell into the chair, an English curse escaping his lips, something about sod, and then Gwen was too far away to hear anything. She raced across the lawn, towards the lake. She heard Ian get up, and attempt his best to go after her. It was impossible of course, he wasn't trained to do this. Unfortunately he knew his grounds better then she did. Both were at a disadvantage. She faltered a minute when she realized she was at the edge of a large lake, she scanned the area trying to figure out how to get the hell out of there. The grounds seemed to go on forever in every direction, and there was no sign of the large ironwork fence anywhere. She felt him before she saw him, he slammed into her back, causing them both to pitch forward. She shrieked as she saw the water, and grabbed backwards onto his shirt. All that did was yank him down into it with her.   
  
It was freezing. Cold assaulted her limbs, and she felt his hand close around her ankle, dragging her down. She kicked with her other foot, hands clawing for the surface. She kicked again, hitting him this time. The water was pitch black in the night, and she could barely see, despite her enhanced vision. She clawed upwards, wondering how in the hell she had fallen so far from the surface in such a short time. She felt the hand leave her ankle. She kicked upwards, hoping that was the way she needed to be going and then she had broken the surface.   
"SHIT," she growled out into the night. The disk was no doubt ruined, but she still felt her gun, thankfully still snug in her jeans. She was soaking, and shivering, and not at all amused. She turned, her eyes scanning the night for any sign of the asshole who had forced her to take this little swim. She didn't see him. Anywhere. Shit. She turned.  
"Ian?" She turned again. "Ian you bastard." And then she did the only thing she could, she dived, her hands reaching down into the water, flailing back and forth. It was too dark to see any deeper then 5 feet or so, so she flailed faster, frantically searching. If he died it would be her fault. She had kicked him after all. Dick had probably gotten a concussion. She swam deeper, wondering just how deep this artificial lake was. The water was freezing and not at all pleasant, but she didn't want Ian's death hanging over her head. Finally her hand came into contact with cold flesh, she clutched it and yanked it towards her, reaching out. A hand clamped on her wrist, and in the dark water she saw those crazy hazel eyes of his locked with hers, wide and startled, frantic and scared. His other hand clamped onto her wrist, bubbles flowed from his nose as he struggled for air, he was fighting it. He looked about ready to pass out. Gwen looked up, hair flying around in the water, towards the surface. She didn't think she could make it without him passing out, sucking in great gulps of water in place of air, which would make him dead for sure. It was all going so slow. His eyes burned into hers, pleading with her to help him. His grip was painful on her wrists, and for a moment she gave herself completely to the surreality of the situation. Weightless in the water, her hair forming a reddish halo in the dim light. She knew what she had to do. She grimaced and did the only thing she could. She pressed her mouth to his, exhaling her own held breath into his mouth. After all he wasn't Manticore, he couldn't handle this. His eyes opened in surprise, and she grabbed onto his waist, trying her best to reassure him with her eyes that it would be fine. Kicking with all her might she made her way towards the surface. She wrenched her mouth away from his, satisfied that he would be okay until they broke. It took forever, kicking as fast as her legs would kick, trying to take his limp body with hers. He couldn't swim. That much she had figured out. He looked so confused and stricken it was almost comical.   
  
Finally they hit the air. She took in small gulps, but Ian was taking in these huge gasping breaths, panicking. His arms splashed around in a failed attempt to keep him afloat.  
"Relax." Gwen commanded, hoisting his weight up further, she began to swim them to the surface. "Don't drag me down with you again." He did what she commanded, attempting to just go with her swimming motions, but he was trembling, from cold or fear Gwen couldn't decide. But he wasn't all for this swimming idea, that was for sure. Time seemed to slow down again as she kicked towards the surface. It seemed so far. She had never actually saved a life before, especially not the life of someone she would prefer to be dead. "You're going to be okay." A faraway voice said, and it took Gwen a moment to figure out it was her own. Her feet found purchase on the shore, and Ian's did as well.   
  
He seemed to wrench away from her, as if angered by his own weakness with water. She crawled to the bank, Ian beside her. They both collapsed in a heap on the grass, staring at the starry sky as he coughed and hacked up the last vestiges of lake water. She was freezing, and wet, her mission ruined and her day coming along for the ride. Her breathing had returned to normal and for a moment she allowed herself to just chill there on the grass, staring into the night. The man beside her was still gasping, still coughing, anger pouring off of him in waves. Gwen sat up, rubbing a damp hand across her dripping face. It was ridiculous really. This whole encounter.   
"Why do you have a lake," she said, her words coming out all gaspy from her exhaustion. "If you can't swim?" Ian ignored her, trying his best to rise on wobbling legs. She stood with him, reaching an arm out to help him, but again he wrenched away. She raised her hands in defense.   
"Don't get pissed at me buddy, all I did was drag your ass outta there," he shot a glare at her. "You're the one who got us in there in the first place." She reminded him.  
"You break into MY house, invade MY files, break MY windows, and force ME to chase you down to get back what YOU stole. And your blaming this on ME," his eyes were daggers, hatred shining in their depths, and that English accent had deepened with each word.  
"You pushed us into the lake," she said simply. "Therefore... your fault."  
"Where's the disk?" Gwen reached into her pocket, holding up the waterlogged purple square that had once held the payment to Benito.   
"Not much use to me now," she tossed it at him. "Keep it." Her shoes squished as she turned, and she wiggled her toes inside them. His hand on her arm whirled her around, those crazy eyes of his burning into her own.  
"You bitch," his fingers dug into her arm and she tried to pull away. "You don't even CARE that you just destroyed my property? Not to mention invaded my home and my privacy and almost KILLED me?" Gwen pretended to think about it a moment, itching the back of her head and furrowing her brow.   
"Actually....no not at all," she shook her head and jerked her arm free. "You know I might be just a little more caring if you hadn't of royally screwed me and my friends. I just saved your ass AGAIN. You should be THANKING me." She tossed her wet hair. "And unless that thank you has a big wad of cash attached to it, I don't really much care. Now, I have a meeting to get to...so bye." She turned again.  
"Who was the disk for?" She didn't stop her stride, and she heard him following her, water sloshing in his own shoes as they made their way across the lawn.  
"I'm not telling you," she half-laughed. "I doubt my employer would be very happy about it."  
"I don't give two shits what your employer would be happy about," Ian was saying. "I want to know who this was for."   
"I don't see why you care, he won't be getting it. And don't worry, I won't be returning to try and get it again. I've had more then enough of your shit." She stopped in her tracks looking around. "How the hell do you get out of this place?" Ian smirked.  
"Not telling," his grin was quick, an "Ha ha I've beat you" grin, and at that moment she just despised him so much. "Not until you tell me who wanted the disk." Gwen shrugged, making an about face and turning towards the house, that loomed large and forbidding up ahead. "I'll just go out the front door then."   
"Do and I'll make sure I give the police an extremely hefty tip on the location of Eyes Only," Gwen froze, her glare stopping the triumphant grin that had spread across his face.   
"I'll kill you if you do."   
"You just saved my life twice. Seems counterproductive don't you think?" Gwen sighed, she couldn't kill him if he hadn't done anything. That wasn't her way. Besides what the hell did she care if he knew who sent her?   
"Benito Garcia," she started back towards the house. It's not like stupid Ian Glenmoore could face off with a man like Benito Garcia, and it wasn't like she had been ordered to keep her employer's name a secret. "Happy?"  
"Very," Ian looked pleased, as if he had just won some trying battle. "Did he say what he wanted with it?" Gwen shook her head, continuing to slog upwards in her clothes, that were becoming heavier by the minute.   
"I was just given my instructions. I didn't even know this was your damn house. Believe me if I had I wouldn't have bothered." The broken glass of his office was sad somehow, the view shattered by one swift kick of a chair, that hung drunkenly across the shattered pieces. Ian nodded, his eyes taking in the destruction.  
"Good job on the window," he muttered. "That'll cost me a pretty penny."  
"Not like you can't afford it there Mr. Gates," she stepped over the jagged pieces, pushing the chair away.   
"Now you're ruining the carpet," he noted, the wet of her shoes had collected dirt, and the heavy wet imprints of her shoes showed through the white of his carpet as she made her way through it. She shrugged.  
"Again, you can afford the cleaning bill," she looked back at him. "Are you always this much of a whiner?"  
"Are you always this much of a cold-hearted bitch?" he countered. Gwen shrugged. "Pretty much." And then she disappeared into the next room, leaving him confused, wet, and angry in his broken office, holding a waterlogged purple disk of useless information.  
  
  
The door closed with a heavy click behind her and Gwen leaned against it, sighing in relief and letting her eyes fall closed with the door. She was an icicle. The cold Seattle air had not exactly agreed with the water drenching her from head to toe and she was convinced her hair was one great big cube of ice. Her gloves clung to her like a second skin, her jeans hanging low on her hips from the weight, and her shirt was ruined, torn completely down one sleeve. Not to mention her boots, completely waterlogged the lot of them.   
"What's going on," Gwen's eyes snapped open at the voice. Soft and confused coming from the depths of the dark living room. Her eyes focused on Max and Alec, both sitting on opposite corners of the small living room. Both looking at her like they didn't know who she was. Like she was a stranger.  
"What are you talking about," she crossed the room towards the linen closet, where Alec was known to keep a few clean towels. She just wanted to change into something warmer. She had a few hours before she needed to meet Ramsey, and she didn't want to be freezing cold and wet when she did it.   
"We know Gwen," was his reply. She froze, the towel almost slipping from her grasp.  
"You know what?" she turned as Alec reached over to flick on a light. "What do you know exactly Alec?" Her voice had taken on a hard edge. Tonight was so not her night.  
"Joshua told us...." Max trailed off, and then regained her voice. "that you have wires in your cocktail. What does that mean Gwen? What wires?" Gwen swallowed. It had to have happened eventually. She couldn't hide it forever.   
"Can I at least get dressed first?" She sighed. "Before all the questions?"  
"You have to promise to explain everything," Alec said. "Promise us." She nodded.  
"I promise."  
  
It was a few moments before she returned, warm and snug in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt, her hair swept up into the towel. They sat in their same positions, tension high in the room, an uncomfortable silence falling over everything. She had missed something between them she was sure of it, and for once it had nothing to do with her.   
"So what's up?" She plopped onto the couch, trying to look for all the world like it was just a normal day and she gotten in trouble with a teacher or something else teenage and trite.   
"What are you?" Alec's question was blatant and to the point. Max's mouth fell open at his audacity, and Gwen's eyes widened in surprise.  
"I'm human Alec," her voice was soft. "Just human."   
"You're not just human," Alec's voice was hard, angry, sarcastic, all the things Gwen didn't want him to be when he found out. She wanted him to be open, caring, maybe even supportive. It was just too much for a girl like her to ask. "Human's don't have wires now do they Gwen?"  
"Alec," Max's voice was different, a warning somehow, soft and confused, eyes staring at Gwen like she had never seen her before in her whole life.  
"He's right," Gwen looked down. "I'm not just human." Her eyes looked up, going from one transgenic to the other. Would they react the same way everyone else had? Like she was some kind of freak? One of the Nomlies that needed to be shut away forever? "I'm a biosynth."   
"Explain it to us," Alec said. "We have all night here." Gwen's eyes darted to the clock. Some people may have all night but she had less then two hours.   
"A biological lifeform with synthetic parts." She explained quickly. Just wanting to get it over with. As she talked one hand went to the gloves she wore, peeling back the fabric. "I was trained just as you were until the age of 14." Then she held up her wrists, the small gray chips of computer hardware, the sharp metal prongs that latched to the delicate skin there made Max gasp. "And then... they did this."  
  
  
"What...what are they?" Even Alec's anger had faltered somewhat, the skin around the chips was pale, unnatural somehow, and he could see the faint line of a black wire embedded in what had once been a healthy blue vein on both sides. She lowered her wrists, ashamed of them. She refused to meet their eyes, refused to see the disgust and confusion hidden in them.   
"Manticore decided to try a little experiment," she said. "They selected three of us, the most promising of three different teams." She was trying to get the gloves back on, but the fabric was still wet and clinging to itself, and her hands were trembling making the task almost impossible. "We were taken to this underground lab. They..." she shook her head, trying to clear it of the memories of pain, of burning. Of fear. "They wanted us to have the ability to interface...directly with computers. So they did this." One glove was back on, hiding the horrible sight from view. "It's like a mini computer, I have this chip in my head," her gloved hand went up to touch the towel that hid her hair. "It tells me what the computers well...thinking."  
"Why?"   
"They wanted us to have access to the files of their enemies. Of their supporters. To make sure there was no evidence of Manticore's operations." She shrugged. "I'm the only one of the three who made it."  
"They killed them?" Gwen nodded.  
"The pain...it was too much for them I guess." She shrugged. "The one other girl she..." Gwen swallowed. "She killed herself." Gwen looked up, her eyes filled with the pain of those memories. "When they finally let me out, my team they..." she shook her head again. "They didn't trust me. They tried to kill me." She swallowed. "And then you freed us."  
"That's how you got your identity. Why Logan didn't have to get you papers and passes," Alec shook his head. "You did it yourself." Gwen nodded.  
"I don't even have to touch the keyboard. It's like...like talking to the computer. I can read what it's thinking, what it'll do next." She chuckled bitterly. "I'm a whiz at computer games, let me tell ya." She shrugged. "I didn't tell you because..." she shook her head. But Max knew why.  
"You were afraid we would react like your team did." Gwen looked up again and nodded.  
"When people realize that you can access their personal files with just a blink they don't tend to trust you." Gwen sighed. "I escaped once. Only once." She shuddered at the memory. "I was to valuable to kill so they..." she swallowed and held up the still bare wrist. "They gave me this one as punishment. I never tried to escape again." When Max thought of the pain, of the fear that would force someone to actually put up with Manticore when they had the means to escape it, a rage swelled inside her.  
"You don't have to worry about that with us Gwen." Alec said. "We don't care." Max nodded her agreement.  
"It's not exactly like we're normal ourselves ya know?" Gwen offered them a small smile.  
"I just...I don't know...I didn't want anyone to know. I thought I could hide it."  
"You did a pretty fair job so far."  
"White..." Gwen started. "He knows. That's why he wants me." Alec shook his head.  
"We won't let him have you." His eyes burned into hers. "I promise you that." Gwen nodded smiling, standing up.  
"I'm glad you guys understand. It means allot to me," her voice choked on the words and her eyes burned. She shifted on one foot. "But I just want to go to sleep." The two transgenics nodded and Gwen made her way to room. Grateful that they hadn't questioned her wet entrance.   
  
  
They sat there in an awkward silence in the moments after Gwen had announced she was going to bed. Her door closed behind her and Max shifted in the uncomfortable silence that followed.  
"Weird huh?" Alec said finally and she nodded.  
"I didn't have a clue..." Max whispered. "We didn't even..." she didn't finish her thought, she just stood. "I should go."  
"Max." He stood with her, his voice changing. It made her stop in her tracks and she looked at him. "About...the other night." Max shook her head.  
"We're forgetting about that remember?" Alec nodded, his eyes looking away from hers.   
"We're trying," he said softly. "But I for one am not exactly succeeding." Max didn't offer him a reply, she simply stared at the boy for a moment knowing it was true for both of them. Not ten minutes passed when she wasn't thinking about his touch, about touching him. His lips. She swallowed, wrenching her thoughts away.  
"Then you'll have to just try harder," she grabbed her coat off the back of his couch, stuffing her arms into it. "We can't...I have to go." She made for the door but he was in front of her in an instant.   
"We can't what?" His voice was low, his eyes locked with hers, dark with desire, and unfulfilled promises. "Do this?" And then his lips were on hers. Torturous and slow, moving against her own, his tongue urging them to part. And she did. She had missed his kiss, missed everything about those lips of his. His tongue. She moaned against his mouth, her hands reaching out to push him away, but he trapped them with his own, their fingers entertwining. He was insistent but patient, taking care to explore every crevice with this one simple kiss. Her senses her swimming in him, his taste his smell, the feel of her fingers locked with his own. That simple act, something she had missed for so long, something she couldn't experience with Logan. Logan. She wrenched away, her breath coming in quick jerking gasps.  
"No Alec. We can't." And then she was gone, leaving him standing there dazed.   
  
The fire escape creaked and for a moment Gwen was afraid it would either give way or alert Max and Alec to the fact that she was leaving. Neither was a prospect she looked forward too. Relief over their acceptance still left her feeling light and airy. Acceptance was something that didn't come easy in this world. Still she wasn't ready to tell them everything, and she didn't think she could stand any more questions. It only served to dredge up painful memories that she had no desire to revisit. There was still so much they didn't know, things she couldn't bring herself to tell them. She climbed down the rusting ladder, one rung at a time, and then let herself fall the ten or so feet to the ground, landing easily on her feet. She had pulled the wet mess of hair into a loose ponytail, cramming it all under her toboggan. She would just tell Ramsey that she hadn't been able to get the information. She would just him she needed more time. Benito would understand. Her hands were already beginning to shake on their own, and a slightly head ache was on the horizon. It was starting.  
  
He stood under the streetlamp, pacing under the dull green. His hands were shaking, and he was puffing madly on a cigarette. Gwen was thinking it wasn't too bad of an idea.   
"Ramsey?" She approached him slowly, but he still jumped, his eyes wild. "There was a little problem with-" Ramsey waved his hands.  
"Nevermind, the jobs off," he went to take the cigarette from his mouth, his hand trembling.   
"What? Why?" Gwen forgot for a moment that she didn't have a disk. Without the jobs she wouldn't get what she needed. "What happened?" From his nervousness she could tell it was something major.   
"What happened? What HAPPENED for Christ's Sakes?" The man was shaking so hard he almost dropped the cigarette. "Benito's dead that's what happened?" Gwen froze.  
"What?"   
Ramsey nodded, cocking his other hand back to look like a gun.   
"Pow. Right in the kisser." He shook his head. "I don't know what to do man. They could be after me next."   
"Benito's dead?" Gwen shook her head. "That's impossible."  
"What you wanna see a body? It's not pretty sister believe me. And I'm the one who found him. Face down, or well..bloody mess of a face down." Ramsey just collapsed, falling with a plop to the ground. "It was horrible man I'm telling ya."   
"Do you know who did it?" Gwen had her suspicions. And they all led to Ian Glenmoore. That bastard. Ramsey shook his head.  
"Not a clue. I got out for a drink. I come back to tell him your on it and he was just..." Ramsey stopped, taking a drag on the cigarette.  
"You got any more of those?" With a trembling hand he handed her the pack and a small blue lighter. She took one, handing the pack back and lighting the cigarette. She plopped onto the ground next to him.   
"What did you do?"  
"I called the fucking cops that's what I did." He shook his head. "What a cluster fuck."   
"So I guess it doesn't matter that I didn't finish the job," she took a drag and blew out a long plume of smoke. "Fuck."  
"Fuck's right," Ramsey shook his head. "What am I gonna do? I could be dead tomorrow."   
"I'm sure you're fine." She said dryly. "Believe me you'll be okay."   
"How in the fuck do you know?" Ramsey stood, tossing the butt of his own cigarette away. "I gotta get the hell outta here man. Go to fucking New York or something." Gwen nodded, standing as well.  
"It's probably for the best." The poor guy. He looked so twitchy and nervous, casting his eyes over his shoulder. He ran a hand through that greasy hair of his, using the other to take out the cigarettes again. She solemnly handed him the lighter.   
"Look I'm sorry things didn't work out," he said. "But I gotta go." He shoved the cigarette into his mouth, lighting it. Gwen nodded standing.   
"It was nice meeting you Ramsey," she took a drag off her own. "I'm sure you'll be fine." He nodded, not quite hearing her, walking off towards a beat up Ford Escort, that from the looks of it had once been red. He was shaking his head, glancing this way and that. Completely scared shitless. Gwen sighed, taking another drag. Ramsey didn't have anything to worry about. No, Ian Glenmoore didn't know about Ramsey. He didn't know about him because she hadn't told him.   
"Fucking bastard."  
  
  
Alec had been ignoring her all day. He hadn't so much as glanced in her direction. He simply went about his business, hanging around the lockers, joking with Cindy and Sketchy. Making plans to hook up with them at Crash that night. But he hadn't even looked at Max. She could tell he was thinking about her. Whenever she entered the room she saw his shoulder's tense, that muscle in his jaw tick tick ticking away. It hurt, and at the same time she knew she had made the right decision. Or had she? Max shook her head, grabbing her bike. She had. She knew it. Alec and her just weren't....right. Or maybe they were too right. She didn't really want to think about it. She simply wheeled her bike out, glancing over her shoulder at him. His back was too her, leaning lazily against the doorjamb talking to Original Cindy. How could he talk so easily to her friends and not say a word to her? She sighed. It was ridiculous. Her thoughts hadn't strayed beyond him all day. She had almost gotten herself killed in the process by cutting off a truck during a delivery. It was becoming an obsession, this daydreaming. Constantly replaying the events of that night in her head. Over and over like a continuous loop of really good porn. It was making her edgy. She would stop at Joshua's she decided, see Gwen and Josh and just ignore him. He didn't really matter all that much anyway. Right?  
  
  
Gwen closed her eyes as she felt the needle pierce the skin, the pain was was brief and small in comparison to the burning that followed as she pushed the plunger in, the clear liquid, like thick water, going into the vein. She had wrapped her belt around her arm to use as a tourniquet, and her vein was blue and bulging just below the crease of her elbow. She closed her eyes. It wouldn't be enough. It was the last vial and it wouldn't be enough. She knew that. The tremors had come all day, that craving in the back of her skull like an itch she couldn't scratch. Her wrists were burning with that same itch, and her head was pounding with the pain. It was getting worse. Of that she was sure. What had once taken two or three vials a month was increasing to two or three vials a week. And she was out. This was the last of the stash in her metal box. And now, thanks to Ian Glenmoore her supplier was dead. She undid the belt, tossed the syringe into the metal box, and closed it with a snap.   
"Gwen," she jumped, the box clattering to the floor, spilling empty glass bottles. "Are you almost done in there?" Alec rapped on the door. "I gotta piss like a racehorse." Gwen tried to force her heart away from her throat and back into her chest.  
"Almost done," her voice was shaky, and high-pitched even to her own ears.  
"Are you okay?" came the reply.  
"I'm fine," she bent down, picking the vials up one by one and putting them back into the metal box.  
"Are you sure? What dropped?"   
"Nothing!" Gwen snapped. "I'm fine." There was no reply and she hoped he would just let it drop. Tensions were high today, between her and him, between him and Max. Even Joshua had been uncomfortable. It was looking to be a not so good day, yet again. She put the syringe back into the box and slid it into her bag. She shouldered it, opening the door. Alec was on the other side, eyes suspicious and worried.   
"Bathroom's all yours." He stared at her, eyes narrowing as she flounced towards her room.  
"Are you coming to Crash tonight?" Alec asked, closing the door behind him.  
"No," Gwen laid the bag on the couch, deciding she would through the contents of the box away later. "I don't feel like it tonight."   
"Are you sure?" he called through the door. "It'll be fun."  
"I think I'll just read, relax a bit. I have a headache already," and she did. Boy did she. It felt like someone was driving nails through her skull.   
"Okay." Gwen fell into the chair, closing her eyes and tilting her headback. Please make it go away she begged silently. Please make it stop.  
  
  
Crash was packed. Alec pushed his way through the crowd towards the usual table, where he could see Cindy's hair and the back of Sketchy's head. And Max. Alec froze, causing a girl behind him to ram into his back. He ignored her, his eyes focused on the girl in question. He gathered his resolve, swallowing a fresh burst of desire and anger, and then he resumed his plowing through the crowd.   
  
He finally made it there ten minutes later, a large glass of tequila in hand. He would need a few more before the night was over. He was sure of.   
  
Max didn't look up when he approached the table. Didn't even acknowledge his presence. He in turn ignored her as well, plopping into a chair formerly occupied by Sketchy's legs.  
"Pool tables are taken over my man," Sketchy pointed to a large crowd hovering around them. Alec nodded, sipping his drink.  
"Figured as much." Cindy looked around.  
"Where's little boo?" Alec shrugged.  
"She had a headache, decided to stay home and read," he shrugged. "Girl thing I guess." Max looked up then.  
"She had a headache?" Alec nodded, trying to squelch the silly feelings that arose. "She's okay right?"   
"I'm sure she's fine," Alec said. "I don't think it had anything to do with..." he stopped, glancing at Sketchy for a minute and then took a sip. "Her....man troubles." Max nodded, satisfied, and went back to looking somewhere else.   
"Hope she be all right," Cindy said taking a sip of her own frothy brew. "That little tyke's growing on me." Cindy touched her chest. "Soft spot right here." Sketchy raised an eyebrow.   
"He said "man" troubles," he reminded Cindy who ignored him.   
"So what's up with you two?" She asked. "Get in a fight?" Alec shrugged, sipping his drink, and looked away. Max was doing the same. She shrugged, and stared at her red plastic cup like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Cindy raised her hands in defense.  
"All right, all right. If you guys don't want to talk about it," she looked to Max. "You will be telling me later boo. If I have to try and kick your ass to get the info." Max shrugged again, taking a hearty sip. Alec did the same. It was going to be a long night.  
  
  
She didn't even bother breaking in. She simply jumped the iron gates landing on shaky knees, and sauntered up to the gates, trying to keep herself up straight. Her head pounded to it's own little rhythm, but she reminded herself it was this geniuses fault. Her hands were trembling, even stuffed deep as they were in her heavy wool coat. She couldn't seem to get warm, not even with a T-shirt, sweater, and said heavy wool coat on. Despite her cold she was sweating bullets, little beads of sweat dotting her forehead. And again, all Ian Glenmoores fault. She pounded on the door, hard, and the moved to the doorbell, small and white rimmed with gold. Pressing it repeatedly. She heard the chimes, loud and no doubt more annoying inside then they were out, through the door and then she waited pasting a pleasant smile on her face that was more of a grimace really. The door jerked open, and there he stood in all his angry, murdering, glory, naked from the waist up with a look that would freeze fire.   
"WHAT could you possibly want?" Gwen breezed by, almost faltering in her step. Her vision was swimming.   
"Did I interrupt something?" She took in his half naked figure, the unbuttoned pants, and angry expression.  
"Yes if you must know, I was sleeping," he glared at her. Leaving the door open. "Leave."  
"Sleeping with who?" she looked up the stairs. "Hopefully no one I know."  
"What do you WANT," he sighed. "Why can't you just go away?" He was whining again and it hurt her head more then it already did.   
"I don't usually tend to just forgive murderers," she pulled her jacket around her. "God it's freezing in here."  
"What are you talking about?" He closed the door, she wasn't getting the hint anyway. He ran a hand through his hair. Sleep still clung to his brain and he was still pissed about last night. This girl was evil, and bad luck as far as he was concerned.   
"I'm talking about Benito Garcia," she glared at him. "What did you think I wasn't going to KNOW it was you?" "What was me?" He rubbed his eyes, confused. Was he still dreaming? Or did she always make no sense at all?  
"Don't play dumb," she snapped. "I know you killed him. Now I gotta kick your ass for it." Ian blinked. If that didn't wake you up then what would?  
"Killed who? Benito's dead?" Gwen nodded, blinking, trying to be angry through the pain of her head.   
"You knew he was dead, you dick, you're the one who killed him," she closed her eyes for a moment. It wasn't going away. It wasn't getting better. So much for that prayer to the heavenly deities thing. It hadn't done jack shit for her.   
"I didn't kill anyone," Ian was saying. "And I didn't know he was dead. Until now that is."  
"Oh please like you didn't..." she sucked in a gasp of air as pain shot through her head. "....go after him the minute I left." Ian shook his head.  
"I'm telling you I didn't kill him," Gwen closed her eyes again. "Are you okay?" She nodded, trying to force the pain away.  
"I'm fine," she snapped. "You however are one fucked up individual."   
"I didn't kill him!" Ian ran a hand through his hair again. "Jesus you people. You and your friends are one big hassle you know that?" Gwen ignored him, putting her hand on a marble pedestal holding up a bust to support her. She knew what was happening. It had happened before. Before when there was always plenty of what she required on hand to help her out. There was none now.   
"Are you sure you're okay?" Ian took a step towards her but her other hand swatted him away.  
"I'm fine, it's just...god it's freezing in here," she swallowed. Her mouth was going dry and the pain was increasing, her vision fading in and out. It was happening too fast. It wasn't supposed to happen this fast. Fear lanced through her and6 she gasped as another bout of pain almost sent her to her knees.  
"God Gwen you're sweating..." Ian took another step towards her. "What's going on?"   
"Nothing," she said weakly. "I'm just...a little woozy. I'll be okay in a minute." That was a lie if she'd ever uttered one. She closed her eyes again, willing it to go away. She couldn't be weak here. She had come to kick his ass for killing Benito. For taking away the only chance she had of avoiding this. The pedestal rocked and she went spilling forward right into Ian's arms. She slumped into them, his hands under her armpits, her knees brushing the marble of the floor. She was too tired and in too much pain to care how weak she appeared to him. To weak to even much care that he was the reason she was in this situation.  
"You're..." she gasped. "such a dick." She said finally. Ian hoisted her up, his arm going around her waist to support her.  
"Gwen what's wrong?" He sounded worried and confused and she almost laughed at him.   
"Alec..." she murmured as her vision faded again. Flashes of red and black swam in front of her eyes and they drifted closed again.   
"What about him?" Ian shook her, forcing her to open her eyes again. "Did he do something to you?" Gwen would have shook her head but it hurt to much. It was happening so fast. Coming at her all at once, faster then it ever had. One second she was fine, kicking some ass, swimming in an artificial lake with this jerk and the next second she was relying on said jerk for support.   
"No," she murmured. "Gotta...." she gasped, clutching as his bare back with gloved hands as another onslaught of pain hit her. "..get to him." She finished. And then it was all blackness.   
  
TBC...(Well. It's 2 A.M. and I'm so not tired. I think I'll start pt 9. Feedback please! Love you guys) 


	9. The Enigma: Computer Glitch

Title: The Enigma: Computer Glitch  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Status: VERY Incomplete  
Category: Romance/Action  
Spoilers/Rumors: Takes place after The Berrisford Agenda  
Season: 2  
Rating: R right now  
Content Warning: Language, sexuality, violence  
Summary: Gwen's ability could help the group immensely, but it could also leave her dangerously exposed.  
Author's Note: Sorry! I know this took forever to get out, but you have to understand I just moved and it's been one hectic couple of weeks. I wanted to get this out as soon as possible so it's not edited. Grammer fantics beware.  
  
Pairing: Max/Alec of course!  
Disclaimer: The characters from Dark Angel don't belong to me. The story however and the original characters I make up however are mine.  
  
  
Ian Glenmoore was for the first time at a loss. There was an unconscious potentially insane girl in his arms, wearing the highest in Eskimo fashion gear and sweating bullets. Not only that but minutes before she had been accusing him of murdering a guy who had once been his friend and partner in business. He stood there for a moment, supporting her with his arms, bewildered. He hoisted her up higher to get a better grip and tried his best to make his way to the couch, her limbs swinging back and forth as he tried to walk without kicking her. It took awhile but he finally made it, trying to deposit the girl as gently as possible on the large couch. It worked, sorta, she was kind of slipping on the slick leather but there was nothing he could do. Ian stood, looking at the girl eyes wide. He ran a hand through his hair, looked around, closed his eyes, and then looked back down to her. Yep, still there. Not dreaming.   
"Shit," he ran a hand over his face and leaned down. "Gwen." He shook her. No response. "Gwen." He shook her again. "Come on love wake up." He shook his again, smacking her lightly on the face with his other hand. Still no response, she was utterly dead to the world, sweat dotting her forehead. But she was shivering, trembling violent within the heavy folds of her clothing. Ian sighed again. Alec, she had told him to get to Alec. Only problem was he didn't KNOW where Alec was, he could barely remember what Alec LOOKED like. Logan. He would call Logan and get the address, or the phone number and then he'd let the Alec chap deal with her. Cause he sure as hell didn't have a clue as to how too. He reached over to the end table, picking up one of the many cordless phones that littered the house. He struggled to remember Logan's number. He dialed slowly, hoping it was right. He glanced at the girl, she was pale and really freaking him out. No sign of the strong vibrant girl that had wanted to kick his ass just yesterday. She better not be dying damnit, he didn't need that on his plate. The phone rang once, twice, and then there was the click of the answer machine and Logan's voice came over the phone. Ian cursed.  
"Logan, um. Have a bit of a problem 'ere mate. You remember that Gwen chippie that you had help me out a few weeks ago? Well she's ah...she's here and I don't know what's wrong with her but-" Logan picked up the phone.   
"Is she okay?" Ian shrugged and made a little noise in the back of his throat.  
"She doesn't look too hot mate," he kneeled by Gwen, shaking her a little more. "She's all pale and sweating but shivering like it's bloody 10 degrees. And she was yelling at me and then she just kind of collapsed," Ian sighed, brushing a damp lock of the girl's hair from her face. "She told me to get Alec. But problem is ya see I don't know where he's at so..."   
"Okay," Logan sounded concerned. "I'll give you the number to his cellphone. I'll page Max." Ian nodded, reaching over to grab a pen from the end table, scribbling Alec's number on his hand.   
"Get them over here fast mate, I don't know what to do with her." He hung up without any formal good-byes and then dialed Alec's number.   
  
  
Alec heard his phone ringing even over the load pumping music. Confused he reached down to grab it, setting his beer back on the table. Not a moment later Max's pager beeped at her side. They shared a look and Alec flipped open the cell phone.  
"Yeah?"   
"Alec?" The voice was foreign with a slight accent, and worried. Very worried. "I think we have a mutual problem mate."   
"What's that?" Alec sat up.  
"I'm that guy from the poker game. Ian remember?" Alec scowled.  
"Yeah, I remember." Ian cleared his throat.  
"Ah, well you see the thing is, that girl, Gwen? She's 'ere," Alec stood up.  
"What?"  
"Yeah, she just showed up yelling at me about....something. And she didn't look to hot ya know? All sweaty, but she said she was freezing. And then she just kinda blacked out on me." Ian swallowed. "You better get over here mate. She doesn't look too good." Alec snapped his fingers, pointing to the napkin. "Pen." He mouthed to Original Cindy who, sensing the urgency, went for her purse. "What's the address?" Max looked at him. Something was going on. Something to do with Gwen judging by his worried posture. He took the pen from Cindy scribbling it on a piece of paper. "We'll be there in 15 minutes. Do everything you can until we get there all right?"  
"Right." Ian hung up with a click and Alec looked to Max.  
"Turn's out Gwen's man troubles were more serious then we thought," Max stood up.  
"We gotta go," she looked to Cindy who nodded, and then to Sketchy who just shrugged confused about the entire situation. Alec wasted no time grabbing her arm and jerking her towards the back exit.  
"What's going on?"   
"You remember that Ian guy from a few weeks ago?" Max nodded.  
"Gwen went to his house, I guess to get the money or something," Alec frowned, worry creasing his brow. "He said she just collapsed. She's sweating but before she blacked out she said she was freezing." Alec didn't bother to even apologize to the people he knocked over on his way out.   
"Do you think she's having a seizure?" Alec shrugged.  
"Maybe. We won't know till we get there."   
"We'll take my bike," Max pointed to where she had parked. "It's faster." Alec nodded.   
"Let's go."  
  
  
Her head moved to the side, her eyes opening slowly. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but still the lines of the man's face blurred.   
"Gwen?" Ian set the phone onto the coffee table. "Alec's on his way all right?" She nodded weakly.  
"Can you tell me what's wrong?" Gwen swallowed.  
"I..." her voice shook. "need.....bezan..thydrine," she closed her eyes as another piercing stab shot down her spine. Ian's eyes widened.   
"Bezanthydrine?" he looked her over. "You don't look like the usual customer." He shook his head. "You shouldn't get mixed up in that stuff love," he brushed her hair out of her face again. She was getting worse, she was practically moving the couch with her tremors and her hair was already damp with sweat.   
"Shut," her teeth chattered. "Up." Ian shook his head.   
"Just being truthful." He stood. "I'm going to get you some water." Gwen shook her head.  
"No. Don't...go," she gasped and arched her back off the couch with the next horrible bought of fire. Ian knelt back down.   
"Okay then, I won't leave," he leaned against the couch. "Why do you need that stuff?" Gwen swallowed again, trying to pull her jacket tighter around her, but her hands wouldn't cooperate.   
"None of...your business." Her knuckles were white from clutching the fabric so hard. Ian sighed.  
"All right then," he looked at the girl. "I didn't take you for a metal junkie." Even through the pain she managed a glare.   
"I'm not...." she gasped again. "A metal junkie." Ian shrugged. "Only one reason a body needs Bezanthydrine love and that's it," he plopped fully onto the floor.   
"Shut up Ian." She groaned, trying to make the pain stop. "God this hurts like a bitch."  
"Shhh," Ian reached over, trying to slip her arm from the jacket. "Don't think about it."  
"Easy for...you to say," she snapped. "You're not the one....in pain."  
"Doesn't matter," he lifted her up, trying to snake the jacket around.  
"What are you...doing?" She gasped and clutched his arm.   
"You're sweating, I don't care how cold you feel, you're burning up," she was too weak to fight him. So she gave in, letting him remove the jacket and set it on the table.   
"How do you know about...Bezanthydrine?" she struggled to sit up, but failed. This was so humiliating. "Sit me up." Ian reached out, snaking an arm behind her back and lifting her up so she could lean against the arm of the couch.   
"Benito Garcia and I used to be in business together," her eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't kill him. We used to be friends once upon a time."  
"What happened?" Ian shrugged.  
"We both got greedy."   
"Why did he need your..." she sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Files?" Ian shrugged.  
"I didn't kill him. I didn't even know he was dead until you came here and told me," Gwen looked at him.  
"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I could go for that water...if it's not too much trouble." Ian nodded and stood. Running a hand through his hair. Gwen closed her eyes, leaning back on the couch, praying that it would all end soon.  
  
  
"Faster," Alec's breath was hot in her ear, and Max turned to glare at him.   
"I'm going as fast as I can go legally," she yelled over the roar of the engine. His arms squeezed tight around her waist.  
"Screw legality. Go faster."  
  
"I didn't know if you wanted ice so I-" he trailed off, seeing her once again unconscious. He sighed, setting the glass down on the table. "Guess it doesn't matter." He looked at the girl, so peaceful in sleep yet so fiery every other time. It was his sense of nobility that made him scoop her up into his arms. She was light, but he knew that she was powerful. The couch was no place for her. Ian made his way towards the stairs, Gwen stirring only slightly to snuggle deeper into his warmth. Her skin was burning, he could feel it through the thin fabric of her shirt, he could see the sweat dotting the lines of her brow. Yet she shivered in his embrace, curling up to him as if she was freezing. He started up the stairs, taking them one at a time, careful not to knock the girl into a wall or anything. They winded up to the 2nd floor and for once he cursed the tight fit, he kept banging into the iron railing in his attempts to keep the same thing from happening to her. It was ridiculous this sense of chivalry, this protectiveness that had him crooning over the girl like some mother hen. He grimaced in disgust as he stepped onto the landing and started on the journey to the master bedroom. He was such a bloody poof. He used one hand to pull back the duvet and carefully slid the girl under it's folds. She looked small in the large bed, and she gave a mew of protest at the sudden loss of warmth. He brushed another errant strand of hair back behind her ear.   
"You're more trouble then you're worth you know that?" He knelt beside the bed, his finger making a trail from her ear down her cheek. "Or maybe...you're worth more for your trouble."  
  
The large mansion loomed ahead and Alec breathed out a sigh of relief. Worry had been twisting his gut into various shapes, and with each passing mile he had clung tighter to he girl in front of him. She was his security blanket of sorts, she wouldn't let anything happen to Gwen. To the girl he had grown to care so much about these past few weeks, saving and being saved. Max pulled the bike to the curb and he quickly untangled himself from her, running a hand through his hair he looked at the large open door and felt a somewhat unfamiliar lance of fear pierce his spine. Had White gotten there first? Was it too late? Alec and Max raced towards the door.  
"Gwen? Ian?" Max poked her head into the well lighted foyer, her eyes catching Gwen's jacket on the couch immediately. She looked at Alec with wide eyes.  
"Thank god you guys are here," They whirled, seeing the figure of Ian Glenmoore striding down the looping spiral stairs. "I think she might be getting worse."  
"Where is she?" Ian pointed up.   
"I put her in my bed upstairs. Come on then," he looked at them. "Shouldn't you have some kind of medical supplies or something? Needles and such?" Max looked at the man confused.  
"Why would we?" Ian stared at her.  
"You really don't know what's going on with her?" Max and Alec shook their head.  
"We assumed she was having a seizure," Alec said. "Isn't she?" It was Ian's turn to shake his head.   
"No." He sighed. "It's not a seizure." Max was confused.  
"Then what is it?"  
"She's fiending," Ian said. Alec looked up sharply.  
"What?" his eyes darted to the girl. "For what?"  
"A drug called Bezanthydrine," Alec's eyes widened.   
"What's Bezanwhatever?" Gwen's skin was getting paler, almost on par with the cream duvet she was under.   
"It came out a few years ago," Ian said. "Used mostly in hospitals to help with artificial organ transplants." Alec nodded.  
"Some of the new materials used for the hearts were being rejected by the bodies. The old materials were to hard to come by so they looked into Bezanthydrine, which helped the body accept the new synthetic organs." Ian continued where Alec had left off.  
"But when synthetic implants became the trendy thing to do all the metal junkies began stealing it." He sighed. "Eventually it started being manufactured on the streets." Understanding dawned on Max. She looked at the girl.  
"This is happening to her because of them," She looked to Alec. "They did this to her."  
"Bezanthydrine isn't usually addictive," Ian looked at the pair confused. "It takes allot for the body to develop any kind of dependency on it. Especially one like this one 'ere." He motioned to Gwen. Max sighed.  
"Trust me I'm sure she's had tons."   
"What's going on 'ere?" he looked between them. "What is this?"  
"Something you don't need to know about," Alec leaned over to scoop Gwen into his arms. "We'll handle it."  
"Like 'ell you will!" Ian pushed Alec aside. "I want to know what's wrong with her."  
"It's just like you said," Max stepped in-between the two of them before it got bloody. Alec's eyes were flashing and Ian was on the defensive. It didn't bode well. "She's feinding. We'll just take her hope and let her chill for awhile till this blows over."  
"It's more then that I'm afraid love," he sighed. "When someone gets addicted to a drug like Bezanthydrine they NEED it to survive. Their body depends on it. If you don't get her some soon her bodies going to reject whatever the hell she has in her."   
"Where can we get this Bezanthydrine stuff?" Max asked.   
"I used to deal it," Alec glared at him, but Ian held up his hands in defense. "I USED to deal it. Benito took the business over and I got into more...legal pursuits."  
"Then we'll just go to this Benito guy," Max stood up. "Where can we find him?"  
"Probably the morgue would be my guess," Ian shrugged. "A body bag somewhere perhaps." He sighed. "That's why she came over. She thought I killed him."  
"Did you?" Alec raised an eyebrow but Ian shook his head.  
"Not me. It could have been anyone. Chap didn't exactly have allot of friends if you know what I'm saying," he shrugged again. "It's a shame though. He was a nice guy Benito."  
"Well who else can give us what we need?" Max looked to Gwen. "She doesn't look good."  
"I'm sure Benito's product is still in his warehouse. It's just a matter of getting it."   
"What do you mean?"  
"Right now I'm sure his business associates are trying to figure out who gets to run the business now. Violently. The warehouse will still be stocked and full tonight. Just under ALLOT of high security." Ian shrugged. "It's going to take allot of effort to get to it."  
"Give us the address." Alec grabbed a pad of paper of the beareau. "We'll get it." Ian sighed.  
"All right, but it's not going to be a walk in the bloody park."  
  
  
Max pulled the bike to the side of the road and scanned the area. The warehouse was about a mile and a half away, at the top of the hill. It's lights, dim as they were, shone brightly and she could make out the faint shapes of men in the windows.   
"There it is," she pointed. "Looks light everyone's having a party."  
"They're just nervous. With this Benito guy dead allot of powerful people might be stopping buy to get a piece of his action."  
"Like us." Alec nodded. "Are you ready?" Max swung her leg over the bike, forcing him to remove his hands from her waist.  
"As ready as I can be." She looked to the warehouse. "Let's do this."  
  
  
She jolted awake with a start. Feeling the cool unfamiliar weight of a blanket that wasn't hers. The soft sinking feeling of floating on air. She tried to scramble away, off the mattress that felt so heavenly beneath the pain in her back and her head but her limps weren't working. They resisted, protesting, and rebellious she couldn't make them work. She gasped, arching a little as her efforts only increased the little shoots of pain she had felt even unconsciously.   
"Gwen?" She turn her head as much as she could, wincing through the pain. Ian. It was Ian's house she remembered. It must be his mattress too. Like floating on air.   
"Ian." Was that her voice? It was raspy and pained.  
"I'm here love," she felt his hand, cool to the touch on her cheek. "I'm right here." "It hurts," she moaned. And God did it hurt.  
"They're working on it," Ian was saying. "They're going to try and save you."   
"Hurry." She faded once again into the painful blackness.  
  
  
There were maybe twenty of them she had estimated. All heavily armed if the three they had already encountered were any indication. She sighed. Ian had been right. This wasn't any walk in the park. Unless that park turned out to be a Claymore mine field. She looked to Alec. His expression was grim and not at all promising. It didn't bode well for the rest of the evening. Her eyes went from Alec's grim handsome face to that of the bloody man lying prone on the ground, stripped of the light gray clothing that passed a uniform and his gun, all of which Alec had taken for his own use. He had been highly trained, not to mention armed, and taking him out had been a little bit of an effort. She wasn't sure if she could take out twenty more of them. Alec stuffed the gun into the holster, looking to the large steel door the man had come out of a few moments before. His eyes locked with Max's and she nodded, creeping forward, pressing her body to the wooden side of the building. It was now or never, and if it was never then Gwen didn't have a chance.   
  
  
"Will you tell me what's going on?" Ian looked to Gwen, who lay beside him on the large four poster bed, nary a foot between them. She had drifted in and out of consciousness all night. This was one of her more lucid moments. She shrugged, barely.  
"What doya mean?" Her eyes fluttered closed.  
"You know what I mean." He sighed. "Just explain it to me."  
"I can't do that Ian."   
"Why?"  
"I don't hate you enough to get you killed."  
"Please." Gwen sighed.   
"Don't say I didn't warn you..."  
  
  
The first three had been pieces of cake. One swift hit to a calculated spot and they went down like a sack of well-armed bricks. They didn't know what hit 'em. This next lot, four burly men in green were more of a challenge. Max sent her palm into the nose of Burly Guy Numero Uno, it seemed to crumple under the blow, caving in on itself and spurting blood. He let out a nasally scream of pain and stumbled back into Alec whose foot lashed backwards, striking the man in the thigh. She heard the bone snap just as Alec's fist rammed into the solar plexus of Burly Guy Numero Dos. Uno crumbled to the floor, gurgling as he tried to moan through the blood no doubt running down his throat. She moved on to Crew Cut, while Alec finished off Dos and then went for Scar-Face. Crew Cut leapt at her, and she grabbed his arm, using his own momentum to toss him over her shoulder. She wrench his arm up, straddling his back until she heard the pop of his shoulder dislocating. He screamed, so she did the only thing she knew how, she slammed his head into the concrete, silencing him. Scar-face flew over her head, face twisted in pain and slammed into a stack of wooden crates. The wood splintered flying out around him and he fell. Max stood up, brushing herself off.  
"Nice work," she reached down, grabbing the gun off of Uno. "Maybe we should save one."  
"Why?" Alec ran his arm across his forehead, wiping away the little dots of sweat.  
"So they can tell us where this Byzanthedrine stuff is." She gave him a "Duh" look and stuffed the gun into her pocket.  
"Right. Let's go."   
  
  
Ian ran a hand through his hair. It was allot to take. Manticore. Transgenics. Mostly girl with a bit of computer thrown in. The hand moved to rub his face. He had seen the news reports, he knew all about the transgenics from them. But he had held onto to that tiny shred of hope that it was perhaps just a figment of some Weekly World News writer's imagination taken way too seriously. Instead here he was staring at the back of one of these same transgenics necks, seeing the angry black lines of the barcode that was supposed to identify them. His fingers reached up unconsciously from his face, lightly brushing the delicate skin there. He felt her tremble, but if it was from the effects of her withdrawal or what he didn't know. She pulled away, letting her hair fall back over her neck. She leaned back on the bed.  
"I'm sorry for calling you a metal junkie."   
"And I'm sorry for calling you a bastard," she sucked in a breath. Her back arching off the bed. "You're mostly just an asshole." She groaned. Ian smiled, pulling the covers back up.  
"Thank you for telling me."  
"And thank you for letting me sweat like a pig all over your bed." She gasped. At that Ian looked concerned. She wasn't getting any better by the looks of it. In fact she was getting rapidly worse.   
  
  
Max yanked the mans head back by his hear, hearing the satisfying crack as the bones in his neck popped from the force. She smiled, her nails digging into his skull.  
"Where is it?"Alec was playing good cop, calmly kneeling on the floor in front of the man, gun pressed to his gut. He jammed it in a little further to get the point across.   
"Where's what?" the man gasped in pain. His hair was greasy and uncombed but she would have to deal with it. She used her other arm to hold his arms behind his back.   
"The Byzanthedrine," Alec said. "Where is it." The man's eyes widened.   
"Over there," he tried to nod his head in whatever direction over there was but she held fast.   
"Let him show us," Alec said softly. She released the poor guy, whose name tag read Tim. He pointed a shaking finger in the direction of a large standing metal file cabinet. "Bottom drawer" he gasped. Alec made his way over to it, Max resuming her hold on the poor Tim's hair.   
"If you're lying," she hissed into his ear. Alec gave the drawer a hard yank, and it jerked open with a resounding clang. Inside was two shoeboxes filled to the brim with glass vials. He picked one up, read the label and nodded to Max with a grin.  
"Simple." Alec reached down, opening Gwen's black messenger bag. He dumped the contents of one box in, then the next. The bag was bulky now, filled almost to the brim. Max nodded and delivered a swift blow to Tim's neck, rendering the poor guy completely unconscious.  
"Let's roll," she stood brushing herself off. Alec nodded again, slinging the bag over his shoulder.   
"Let's."  
  
"Gwen no," Ian shook her. "Gwen." He shook her harder. "Damn't Gwen." She wasn't breathing. Dear God she wasn't breathing. "Gwen please." He shook her harder, his heart pounding in his chest. He may not like her much but the last thing he wanted was her to die. The last thing in the world. "Gwen." He pressed his fingers to her neck, her pulse was weak, fluttering lightly. He took a deep breath.  
"Please." He placed his mouth over hers, pinching her nose closed with his fingers, he breathed life into her. Her chest rose and fell. He waited, counting the seconds, and then did it again. Deep breaths. He turned his head, and waited. Then he did it again. "Please Gwen." He did it again. She gasped, small and shallow, but a breath just the same. Her chest rose again, independently. Ian pressed his face into her neck, breathing in her scent, a smile coming to his lips.  
"Thank God." She took in another shuddering breath. "Thank you." He whispered.   
  
Max raced up the steps, trailing Alec. The bag banged into his leg, and he held it protectively against his leg to keep the glass vials from breaking.  
"Hurry." Max pleaded.  
"I'm hurrying." Up the stairs they ran, around and around till the reached the long stretch of white hallway that led to Ian's room. Ian appeared at the door, his eyes haggard, his face creased with worry.  
"You got it?" Alec nodded. Ian sagged against the frame of the door with relief.  
"I don't think we have much time." Alec breezed by him into the room. Max gasped behind him, taking in the sight of the trembling girl, sweat pouring down her face in rivulets, her breathing shallow and course.   
"Oh god." She looked to Alec. "Hurry." Alec kneeled beside the bed, reaching into the bag to draw out Gwen's metal box. He took out the syringe he knew was inside and one of the glass vials. Gwen took another shaky breath, her body wracked with pain, consciousness had completely deserted her. He put the tip of the needle into the gray rubber of the top, tilting it so all the liquid ran to the bottom. He pulled the plunger back, filling it with the clear liquid and then he pulled it out. Tapping the syringe and squirting a little he took her arm. He plunged the needle into a blue vein and prayed to a God he didn't believe in that she would be okay. He pushed the plunger in, sending the drug deep into her vein.   
"Be okay Gwen," he heard Ian breath behind him. Max clutched his free arm. He sat back on the carpet, pulling her into his arms. For once they didn't care about the awkwardness of their relationship, of the unanswered questions. They just wanted comfort. The watched and waited for a miracle.   
  
TBC...(Again I apologize for taking so long. Things have been really hectic with the move and all) 


	10. The Enigma: Poker Faces

Title: The Enigma: Poker Faces  
Author: Dizzy  
E-mail: BadMonkeyMoblie@aol.com  
Website: http://diz.tinfoil-tiara.org  
Rating: R right now  
Summary: Ian resurfaces once again with a mission in mind for Gwen alone. It turns into so much more.  
Author's Note: This is going to be a very LOONG fic. Many element comes into play. But I assure you it will be a very good fic. Scouts honor. Feedback NEEDED. Oh yeah:  
  
A tobogan is a hat here in Florida. Being from the north *I* too thought it was a sled for a long time until I was corrected. It's a knit cap type thing. Or a snow cap as I called it for 12 years.   
  
  
Gwen smiled weakly at Joshua, shrugging.   
"Go Fish." She murmured. Joshua nodded and lifted one large hairy paw towards the deck of cards that sat between them. He looked at the card and then to the cards he held in his hand, a triumphant grin breaking across his face. "Pair," he laid out a pair of Queens. Gwen smiled.   
"Got any two's?" Joshua studied his cards and then shook his head.   
"Go Fish." Gwen took a card from the deck. After her brush with death a few days ago she had come to the conclusion that it was time to slow down. Lay low, play a few hands of Fish with Josh. Her body was still weak, and at times she would feel a fierce throbbing pain in her spine, not to mention the exhaustion. It seemed even the simplest of activities exhausted her. But she was improving. Alec and Max had saved her life, and given her enough of what she needed to last for a long time. She smiled in memory. They truly cared about her, enough to risk thier lives in order to save her. Her smiled faltered when she thought of her other "savior" Ian Glenmoore. That bastard. She grimaced at the memory. She owed him now, he truly had saved her life. That hurt more then the pain in her spine. The fact that she owed her life to him.   
"Gwen?" Joshua looked at her puzzled. "You okay littler buddy?" Gwen smiled at him and nodded.  
"I'm fine, I just didn't hear you," Joshua nodded.  
"You have any 4's?" he held up four of his fingers for emphasis. As if to say "Four is this many." Gwen nodded and handed him a 4 of hearts. Joshua smiled triumphantly again, placing 2 fours on the growing pile of pairs in front of him.  
"Joshua is good at this game," he announced proudly and Gwen grinned, nodding.  
"Yes, you are," she looked at her cards. "Got any sevens?" Joshua's look of disappointment told her he did and he solemnly handed the card over. A girl could get used to quiet Saturday afternoon's playing cards with a dog-like transgenic.  
  
  
Ian Glenmoore looked down at the small piece of napkin in his hand. Scrawled in tiny black print was her address, given to him by Alec just before he left. If it was kindness, pity, or trust Ian didn't know. The point was he had it and he had use for it. A small use but a use nonetheless. He looked up at the tall brick building, stuffing the napkin corner into his pocket. Gwen was probably still weak, probably still recovering, but it wasn't going to take much energy, truth be told he probably could have hired someone to do it, but he wanted Gwen. She was strong and fast, and smart, and even though it was a personal mission he didn't trust anyone else to do it.   
  
Her building didn't have elevators so he took the stairs, one at a time, breathing in deep to prep himself. She wasn't going to be happy to see him. In fact he was pretty sure she hated him. He took one final breath and raised his hand. It swung open before he could knock and the girl in question practically knocked him down. His arms snapped forward to catch her, grabbing her by the shoulders. Startled she pushed him back into the wall, her stance defensive.   
"Hey, chill out a second," he said before she could sock him in the nose. He flashed her his most charming grin. "I'm not going to hurt you." Gwen answered him with a glare, hoisting her bag up.  
"What do you want? I was just getting ready to take off," Gwen looked to the stairs and Ian shoved his hands into his pockets.  
"Where too?" Her glare, if it was possible, got icier.  
"If I wanted you to know I would have told you." She went to go by him, but his grip on her shoulder stopped her.   
"Gwen, I wanted to talk to you," she was about to reply but the look in his eyes stopped her. He needed something.   
"About?" Ian motioned into the apartment, the door still wide open.   
"Can we just sit down for a second?" The girl let out a sigh, as if it was a supreme inconvience for her and then nodded, taking a step backwards.   
"Make yourself at home," she pointed to the tattered white couch.   
"I have a favor to ask," Ian looked at her. "A large favor."  
  
His fingers ran down her face like rain, stopping for a moment to contemplate her lips, to caress her cheeks. Max smiled. The fingers tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, tickling the lobe before drawing themselfs back up her jaw bone. A single digit landed on her nose, and she did something completely unMaxlike. She giggled. The strains of piano and violin wafted around her and she knew she was dreaming. Life didn't come with a soundtrack. And the man of her dreams didn't enjoy sitting on a pinic blanket in the middle of a field, tracing the paths of her face with his fingers. But just for a moment she'd let herself dream. Just for a moment she'd give in. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. Brown met hazel and Alec smiled back. He leaned forward. His lips brushing her temple.  
"I love you." Max nodded, leaning into him.   
"I love you too."  
  
Gwen stared at him for a moment. And then laughed. She laughed again, harder this time, until she could hardly control the giggles. The English man glared at her, leaning back into the sofa, crossing his arms over his chest. He failed to see anything amusing about his request.   
"You..." she tried to catch her breath. "Actually think I'd do that for you." She hiccuped now.   
"I had hoped," Ian stood, angry. "I can see now that I was mistaken."  
"What's in it for me?" She was still amused, he could see it dancing in her eyes.   
"I said you would be properly compensated."  
"We all know how unreliable you are on that account," Gwen looked up at him, biting her lip to keep back the peales of laughter that threatened to bubble over.   
"I wasn't 'unreliable'," Ian snapped. "I gave you exactly what I promised. The fact that you left the rest of the winnings was of no concern to me."  
"And the fact that you've lost some hot rod sports car and want it back is of no concern to me," Gwen stood, anger replacing the amusement that had lurked in the depths of those startling green eyes of hers. She was prettier angry then amused.   
"I'll get the car back with or without you."  
"Then why did you even bother?" "Because I would have preferred with you! If I didn't have you on my side I'd have to do it alone and we both know I'm nowhere near skilled enough to be able to do it without losing a bloody limp."   
"Why can't you just hire someone to do it for you?" She glared at him. "You're rich enough."  
"I was trying to hire someone to do it for me." He glared right back. "You."   
"How much?"   
"Five thousand."  
"Ten."  
"Seven."  
"Ten."  
"Fine," Ian glared at her. "Ten." Gwen grinned.  
"I would have settled for 8 but since you offered ten..."   
"Just be ready. Tonight. At 9 o'clock." Gwen nodded.  
"At Crash." Ian furrowed his brows in confusion.   
"Crash?"  
"It's a club. Or a bar whatever you want to call it." Gwen grabbed a piece of paper. "Pen." Ian reached into the pocket of his dress shirt and handed her a rather expensive gold one. She hastily scribbled directions from Alec's apartment to Crash and then handed it to him, slipping the pen into her bag.  
"Nine it is."   
  
  
Max tapped her nail against the wood of the table. It went in time with the thumps in her head, that in turn went with the booming of the speakers to her left. She grimaced and took a sip of her beer. The only freaking table left in the place and it was right next to the speakers. Wonderful. Across from her Cindy, who didn't seem to notice or even mind the speakers, was talking animatedly about something, waving her hands and making a bunch of facial expressions. Unfortunately due to said speakers there were no words to go along with them so Max just nodded and smiled at moments she felt would be appropriate. Truth was she had picked this table on purpose. She was certain she could have bullied some other people out of a better one but the speaker table had the best view of the door. And she was keeping one eye glued to it. And she knew the reason why.  
  
Alec had mentioned in passing to Sketchy that he might play him in a game of pool. And Max had somehow managed to over hear their conversation. Not a hard task for a girl who has her ear pressed to the little slots on her locker. Yet he hadn't shown up yet. Sketchy was here, sitting across from her beside Cindy his mouth moving once in awhile as well. She simply nodded and smiled to him as well. It was ridiculous really. She couldn't stand Alec. She hated his guts in fact. Or she was supposed to. But lately the dreams she had been having, the way her eyes picked him out of crowds first and foremost, the way her stomach clenched in anticipation all pointed to very unhate type emotions.   
  
Gwen was there too, doing the smart thing and hanging out away from the speakers with the same group of young men she danced with practically everytime she came. She got free beer, they got free dances from an ex-stripper, everyone was happy. Tonight though Gwen hadn't danced, she'd sat at a table next to an extremely hunky Latino guy sipping her drink thoughtfully trying to look as engrossed with thier conversation as Max was with Cindy and Sketchy's. It was a night of distraction it seemed.   
  
Her breath caught in her throat when she felt the muscles in her stomach clench. He was here. Her eyes darted to the door and sure enough there he was. She swallowed, making sure to nod and smile at Cindy and Sketchy before she let her eyes focus on him. His eyes locked with hers and for a moment they were caught in the electric field of sexual tension that had been present from the beginning. He gave a little wave and Max motioned for him to come over. Truce sent out into the void. He took a step towards them, then another. His expression unsure for a moment before he finally pulled himself together. Truce accepted.   
  
"It's been real guys but I have...an appointment," she shouldered her bag. The chorus of disappointed groans followed her to the door and she just gave them a grin back, turning around to walk backwards.  
"I'll see you tomorrow I swear." She made a crisscross motion across her chest. "Cross my heart." She flashed them another smile and whirled, colliding dead on with what she assumed was the wall, or one of the steel supports that held up the roof. Embarassment flared in her brain as she realize she had both run into a wall and was falling backwards to the floor where she would no doubt bust her ass. Strong arms caught her, keeping her from falling on said ass. She realized it wasn't a wall, or one of the steel beams, but in fact a chest. Namely a chest belonging to one Ian Glenmoore who was grinning down at her, amusement twinkling in his eyes. She glared at him, righting herself and shrugging off the support of his arms.   
"You're late," she pointed out.  
"Only like 10 minutes love," he looked at his watch. "Or perhaps you were too engrossed in your little fan club there to notice I arrived at least half an hour ago?" Gwen ignored him, pushing past him towards the door.  
"Can we go? I'd like to be in bed at a reasonable hour tonight and if I let your English ass prattle on we'll never even GET there." Ian glared at her.  
"And what exactly is your problem with the English."  
"I don't have a problem with "the English" I have a problem with YOUR English ass." Gwen saw his black sports car parked at the curb. Ian started toward it and let out a sigh. He wasn't sure if this was such a grand idea after all.  
  
  
"You remember how we agreed to forget about...that night?" Alec ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting about the alley as if he expected something to jump out at them any second. Max swallowed and nodded.  
"Yeah." He had dragged her out here the minute he had reached the table stating that he needed to talk to her.  
"Well...I can't," Max felt a little flare of hope in her chest at his admission. She tried her damndest to keep that reaction out of her eyes.   
"Oh." Instead she focused on the brick behind him.   
"I know I should..." Alec said running a hand through his hair again. It was a nervous habit he had seemed to acquire. "Believe me I want to." Max almost let herself pout about that one but she held her passive expression in place. "But I haven't been able to." Max bit her lip.  
"Oh." He sighed.  
"Could you maybe say something. Kick my ass? Tell me I'm a pervert...something?" Max did the only thing she wanted to do. She kissed him.   
  
The problem with Ian Glenmoore was he was too damn cocky. This, Gwen assumed, stemmed from the fact that he had more freaking money then he knew what to do with. So he gambled and spent his money on fast little cars like the one they were speeding down the highway in, in hopes that perhaps he could get rid of a little bit of his "problem". His English accent and the fact that was not unattractive (that was all the leeway Gwen would grant him in that department) made it fairly easy to get women and his money did the rest. He was a spoiled brat in otherwords. Gwen detested spoiled brats. Here she was working for a complete asshole in the hopes that he'd toss a few thousand dollars her way so she could try and come up with enough money to get the hell out of Alec's place and not burden him anymore. Meanwhile here he was driving this fancy batmoblie type car towards a warehouse that had another one just like it. One he was paying her that few thousand dollars to get back for him. Ian, like most spoiled brats, didn't like anyone taking his stuff, no matter if he could just go out and buy another one just like it.   
  
"It should be fairly easy to get back," he was saying. "Just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity."  
"And when will we get this opportunity?"   
"Everynight the guard takes a little "break" to pop over to the loo and um...relieve himself. I figure we'll nab it then."  
"And how do you know that?" "I have sources."  
"And why couldn't these sources take care of getting the car back?"  
"Because these sources are about 50 years old with bad backs and bowlegs, not exactly a genetically enhanced fighting machine," Ian sent her a look. "That sum it up enough for ya?" Gwen sighed.  
"And you couldn't get it yourself because..."  
"I don't thrive on getting myself killed. You however...." he trailed off and she glared at him in response to the unspoken words.   
"It'll be real quick love I promise," he grinned at her. "Painless. All you have to do is drive the car back." Gwen rolled her eyes.  
"Is anything ever painless with you?"  
  
  
  
The large warehouse, which seemed to be a familiar and common setting for all things criminal, was for once brightly lit but seemingly deserted. It was not very large, and there was virtually no security whatsoever with the exception of one lone guard and his gun. He sat poised in front of a large oak desk, booted feet propped on the top, a television displaying reruns of I Love Lucy in front of him. Not exactly Fort Knox. Gwen rolled her eyes. What kind of a wuss couldn't deal with one security guard? Whether he needed her to drive the car was of no consequence, any idiot could drive. Ian motioned her forward, to a stack of crates far away from said lone guard and one floor up on the catwalk. He crouched down behind them, sitting indian style on the metal floor. Gwen rolled her eyes again and sat down beside him on one of the crates. This was getting ridiculous, the lengths one would go for a bit of coin.   
  
"Now we wait," he leaned against the crates, stretching.   
"How long?" Ian shrugged.  
"Can't be that long," Gwen sighed. She hated to wait. Hated it with a passion. That seemed to be her prime emotion lately, passionate hate. She glared at Ian in response to that thought. Gwen had no idea how she allowed herself to be pulled into these things. Why was she waiting in a dusty old warehouse with a guy she hated waiting for a sports car he already had one of.  
"Ridiculous," she breathed, leaning back against crates, and it was. Ian gave her a lazy smile, stretching his arms up to fold behind his head.   
"Just be patient love, good things come to those who wait," he gave her a wink and settled back to do just that.  
  
  
Hours later, Gwen sent one more glare for posterity in Ian's general direction and flexed her fingers once more. Boredom was making her edgy, her limps were tingling with the need to do something. She leaned over, pushing him farther back against the crates so she could see the balding head of the security guard who had yet to take his restroom break.  
"I thought you said it wouldn't be that long," she hissed. Ian leaned forward as well, shrugging.   
"I didn't think it would." Gwen turned her head and raised her eyebrow.  
"Obviously." It was his turn to glare at her.  
"You didn't have to come."  
"I realize that now. I really shouldn't have."   
"Then why did you?"  
"I wanted the money."   
"There are easier ways to get money," he looked at her pointedly. "You know that." Gwen almost launched herself at him her anger was so great. It rose into her throat choking back any reply she could think of. She merely stared at him, mouth agape, silently fuming.  
"You know that is so typical," she snapped after a moment's silence. "You agree to help a spoiled rich asshole get his precious sports car back and he spits in your face. That's fucking gratitude for ya, I mean what does a girl have to do to-" whatever she was going to say was cut off by his lips on hers. Startled her eyes went wide and she was too shocked to move. They moved against hers, tender but firm, lazily coaxing her to part her own. Completely against her will they did, and stars exploded in front of her wide eyes as he deepend the unexpected kiss. Again, completely against her will her eyes fell closed.   
  
It took about four seconds for her to realize what was going on. Four seconds that seemed like hours of dazed pleasurable confusion. She was kissing Ian Glenmoore. Or rather being kissed by him. She felt her lips move against his. Now, she was kissing him back. Her eyes flew open again, and she braced her hand against his chest, but she couldn't quite bring herself to push him away. Instead her hands slid up to wrap around his neck, her fingers idly playing with the hairs there. It was like her body had a mind of it's own. There her brain was, yelling at her to stop, digging it's heels in and her body was telling it to go fuck itself. I LIKE kissing him her body seemed to say while her brain continued to rant about what a complete asshole he was. It was extremely odd to have your body and your brain at war with each other. Somewhere someone moaned, and it was another 2 seconds before she realized it was her. Her eyes had fallen closed once more and she was pushing him back against the crates. Taking that as his cue Ian deepened the kiss further, exploring her mouth completely, tasting her sweetness, his hands slipping under her shirt to rest on the warm skin of her stomach. He was the one moaning now, pulling her back against the wooden crates with him. Wooden crates that weren't full of anything. Wooden crates that fell off the catwalk, plunged the 20 feet to the ground and shattered into little splinters on the concrete below.   
  
They froze, pulling apart, thier eyes locked and for a few moments they both forgot about where they were and what they had just done. Breath mixed with breath, and then someone, somewhere fired a gun.  
  
  
TBC....(God it's taking me a long time to get these parts out. But you must forgive me. I'm in the process of: Fixing my car (my clutch went out and I can't afford a mechanic so me and my father have been fixing it all day for the past 3 days), building my room (all construction has stopped but I remain forever hopeful that it will get finished), and keeping my grades up (three A's and a C on my report card, gotta bring that C up). So forgive me! I'm starting the next part right after I check and post this one.) 


End file.
